


Comeback Family (컴백 가족)

by Shadowhound_01



Category: (여자)아이들 | (G)I-DLE, K-pop
Genre: Angst, Cameos, Developing Friendships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Gen, High School, Slice of Life, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 76,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24074296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowhound_01/pseuds/Shadowhound_01
Summary: High school student Hak Baek-Hyeon and K-Pop idol Jeon Soyeon have almost nothing in common. One is a nervous introvert nursing a inferiority complex, dreading high school and the many challenges it poses. The other leads the girl group (G)I-DLE with confidence and skill in abundance, even if that puts pressure on her to continue to succeed.When a tragic accident uncovers Baek-Hyeon's familial connection to Soyeon, their lives and the lives of those around them are upended as they must deal with their newfound connections, life in the limelight and their own demons...
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	1. Family in Waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a rather weird idea that popped up in my head many years ago which I never thought of writing up since it felt a bit loose in places and was more concept than a fully formed idea. Recently, I had an inkling of getting back into a writing headspace and thought a project like this might be a good groove to follow along, with some tweaks to the specifics of the premise. I hope everyone follows along on this rather different story and setting than I’m normally used to.
> 
> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

It felt unreal, this feeling in his heart. The dull beat felt heavy as he stared around the house, sitting as he was cross-legged on the floor. The 17-year old knew his routine inside and out, considering he had managed to bathe, dress and feed himself just yesterday. Today, he just felt his toes curl into numbness and his head settle against his shoulder in a slump, the pain already worming its way back in. Has it really been a month already?

Begrudgingly he stood up, scanning the living room with a heavy heart. He had really done a poor job of cleaning up after himself, if the dust motes hugging the sides of the room were any indication. The house itself bore some signs of wear and tear from the years, but it was home. Not particularly minimum wage but hardly first class either. He trundled towards the fridge with a weary gait, seeing a mountain of containers all housing ready-made meals. Reaching for the nearest one, his eyes glanced at the note taped to the cover, drenched in condensation.

‘ _Please take care of yourself. Stay strong.’_

He bit his lip. He should be grateful that he was getting these to begin with. Some even offered to pick up his high school tuition, at least for the year. Perhaps he should consider taking them up on it. He could not imagine attempting to maintain the house, pay his school tuition, and his own living expenses all at once, even with a part-time job. He cracked open the lid, the pungent smell of kimchi wafting back at him. As he walked back towards the living room, he paused at the doorway leading to the bedrooms. He had never been inside their room in all that time, save for the weekly cleanup on Sunday.

‘ _It’s been long enough. I can’t keep putting this off._ ’

He set his food aside on the dining table and walked in, flicking the switch on. As the light illuminated the room, the feelings rushed back in force. He stepped over to the drawers, the creak of worn wood echoing as he pulled them out. An ornate small box tucked away in the corner caught his eye. He had seen them pull it out every year, staring at its contents for the better part of an hour. His hand traced the markings on the box, a layer of dust forming on his fingertip. A quick puff of air cleared away the dust, the colours a little more clearer to his eyes. He gulped, before tucking the box underneath his arm and stepping out of the room.

The clock ticked ever silently as he chewed on his food, unconcerned with the taste of week-old leftovers filling his nostrils. He felt the stifling silence accentuate the little sounds, from his own chewing to the dull hum of the fan spinning in place above him. His eyes glanced at the box of mementos his parents had left behind, its contents laid out across the remainder of the wooden table. His hand reached for a faded photo, a family of 4 staring back at him. The father holding onto the hand of a young toddler. The mother clutching tightly to a young girl, a smile accentuating her face as she held the toddler’s other hand.

It was hard to imagine that he was all that was left in this picture, staring at an old medal, the name Hak Baek-Hyeon emblazoned in faded characters on the peeling metal. He remembered nothing of his older sister’s disappearance, only the accounts of parents too bereaved and distraught to mention the incident. Baek-Hyeon gathered that his eomeonim ( _mother_ ) would beat herself up over it. How could any mother fathom losing their child while running a simple errand? His abeonim ( _father_ ) was no better, though he kept a more stoic front when he believed Baek-Hyeon was not in the room. He had asked why the police wouldn’t help when he was young, for which they had no words. They would, years later and those words were not in the least bit kind.

He remembered the day they left as vividly as he could. He had chosen to split from them to search somewhere else, cover more ground as it were. He thought nothing of it until they exceeded their search time, never showing up at their designated meeting point. His worry only grew when they were nowhere to be found where they had said they would be. It was only when the call of ambulance sirens rushing past drew him to them, two bodies lying by the roadside in puddles of their own blood and a gaggle of people already doing what he should have been doing. The minutes that passed as he waited for the ambulance made him even more helpless, cradling their bodies with tear-stained eyes.

The hospital declared them dead within minutes of checking in. The police called it a hit-and-run, for all the good it did. Baek-Hyeon felt a part of him die as the police came up with nothing, unable to trace the car that had sped away in the chaos. He wanted to scream, to punch and kick at the authorities for failing his family for the second time. He knew better, simply remaining cordial as he left the station, collapsing on his knees in despair just past the front door of the house. The funeral procession was a hazy memory, a parade of friends and classmates coming to give their regards one last time. He only remembered sitting to the side, staring at the framed pictures of his parents, and wondering if he could have done something. Anything to make the ache in his heart feel better. The month passed, with the same parade of concerned individuals offering platitudes and help. The ache only gave way to a gnawing emptiness the longer he had to reckon with the sudden loneliness.

Once his dinner was done and the tupperware washed and set aside, Baek-Hyeon reached for his coat and draped the warm clothing over his being and set out for the door. It was just him tonight, as it had been for the whole week. Before, he had corralled his friends to help him and the occasional family friend when they came to drop off their care package of food and beverages. He stopped asking, mostly out of guilt. They had lives to get back to, after all, he told himself as he shivered out in the cool outdoor air, closing the gate on its creaking hinges behind him.

This was a routine of theirs. He never understood it when he was young, why his abeonim or eomeonim would leave the house after dinner on weekdays or lunch on the weekends. It was one of those excursions that took them away. It was the only way he knew to honour them. He clutched the small homemade family pendant, a circular frame made out of recycled metal housing a picture of himself and his father hanging around his neck, the half he owned at least. It still brought him some relief, at least.

He started with the residents, tapping on every door that hadn’t been crossed off. Most thought him a wandering salesman and wouldn’t give him more than a curt dismissal. The few that let him explain were sympathetic but little more than that, unable to resolve an issue 14 years running. Some even asked why the police weren’t involved. The answer was quick on the draw, spilling forth with a sigh. As the night wore on, it seemed tonight would be just as unlucky as the last. Tomorrow would be Saturday, which meant he could see if any other orphanages had picked up someone matching the aged photo in his hand. He held less hope for that. She would be 21 going on 22 this year and he doubted any of the staff would remember someone from so long ago when they deal with so many cases month in, month out.

The turnoff to his abode led past one of the more vibrant parts of Seoul, blaring with advertisements up high on skyscrapers, the bustle of the night life crowd and the purr of engines running across the road. He spied the local convenience store across the street, watching the cashier handle a customer with a wane smile. Baek-Hyeon dipped into his pocket, pulling a second-hand brown wallet with strands hanging on the side. He had enough money, enough to keep him going for the year at least.

‘ _Better save this money. Who knows what could happen in the future?_ ’ he sighed, letting his hand dip back into his pocket. He was happy to contend himself with leftovers for the time being.

Baek-Hyeon finally trudged back to his house, resigned to another lonely night. It was strange, to imagine that he would be dealing with something out of a drama on TV. He barely remembered her, what with being only 3 at the time. Yet he missed her all the same. He paused as a dark thought passed his mind. It surely crossed their minds at some point in all those years. How else to explain why no one has heard about her? Where even the police couldn’t do much to help? Was she dead?

The thought passed. His parents never gave up on looking for his sister, even when that thought likely crossed their mind. Why should he? He owed it to them to keep going as long as he could. His gaze turned to the television, the low hum of static emanating from it. Perhaps something more light-hearted was in order. Seated back behind the table, he flipped through the channels absent-mindedly, eventually settling on the KBS channel. As he set down the remote, Baek-Hyeon was treated to an old interview, dating back about a week or so. A small profile piece on the rising stars in the K-Pop industry. A bunch of the new debuts, some of the older ones making a comeback, on and on. He wasn’t the biggest fan of K-Pop himself, but he appreciated the music and the work the idols put in every day for their craft. Respect was more than earned in his mind.

Then the interview turned to the girl group (G)I-DLE. The 6 young women that were now sweeping the nation with song and dance in equal measure. Barely 2 years past their debut and they were starting to gain traction in the industry and garner acclaim and fame left and right. He had seen them on TV before, along with a late-night sojourn through the web when his friends raved about them in school. Nothing out of the ordinary. As far as he knew, it was just one group among so many other groups in the industry.

Yet Baek-Hyeon’s jaw went slack-jawed as the interview continued, presenting each member one by one. The last one quickly confirmed that what he had seen was no fluke. There it was, the other half of the pendant hanging from her neck. He rubbed his eyes again and pinched his cheek. The pain meant it wasn’t some weird dream. She clutched it several times over the course of the interview. The picture inside matched his mother to a tee, if the pictures she showed him were anything to go by. His eyes glanced down to the picture of their family, confirming his suspicions. He doubted someone would copy something that crude on purpose, nor did he think her management would tell her to wear something that was out of place with their brand image. Even then, they would have had a difficult time fabricating something like that. She wore it for a personal reason. Why? The question scarcely mattered. His hand reached for his phone, hastily searching for anything about their current schedule.

A concert in the heart of Seoul, a few days from now in the afternoon. It would set him back a pretty penny, but Baek-Hyeon didn’t care. He could just dip into his savings. If what he saw was right, he couldn’t let this opportunity slide. He had to know for sure. As he watched his email notification ding with confirmation of his ticket into the venue, his teary eyes stared back at the TV. The interview was wrapping up, finally resting on the whole group as they signed off with their signature greeting.

And Jeon Soyeon’s face stared back at him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea behind this story was to explore how a hard-working or famous person would deal with finding out about an unexpected family since one would have to grapple with caring for a family on top of their busy lives while the other deals with the infamy that comes from being associated with the sibling and the pressures of school life on top of it all. Previously, this idea was to create it as a dynamic between an actress and the brother or vice versa and start to build from there. Recently with the rise of K-Pop in the mainstream spotlight, I found that many of the K-Pop groups with their aggressive training, dieting, and many other hardships fit the dynamic I was going for, hence my renewed interest in this story and the re-tweaking of the particulars of the story to fit the Korean setting.
> 
> As for the group chosen, it seemed like a good mix of youth and acclaim that fit the story. As for the person chosen, it seemed like a smart idea of having contrasting personalities to drive the narrative. That being said, I’m less interested in exploring romantic relationships with this story since I think it might be a little off-putting, and the budding friendships and family relationship that will arise from this tale is more than enough to see it through. If a romance is to occur, I almost certainly want to avoid inter-group romance.
> 
> See you in the next chapter!


	2. Scandal of a Different Kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon crashes (G)-IDLE’s concert, chasing a tantalising lead. Soyeon readies herself for another performance, unaware of the news she’s about to receive.
> 
> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

It really shouldn’t amaze him that the crowd would be this enormous. This was common with groups in the spotlight. Their fans, known collectively as Neverland were eagerly waiting in line to enter the building at a moment’s notice. Some had even camped out to secure their spots, according to the photos being shared on SNS. Many were decked out with glow sticks and painted signs with words of encouragement and support written on them. People from all walks of life seemed to fill the crowd, from the young to the old, with Hak Baek-Hyeon enmeshed in the thick of it. High above them, large posters of the group members lined the side of the building all striking distinct poses. A large banner hung over the entrance, the event details plastered clearly for all to see.

His head was swimming in questions he wanted to ask her, if she really did turn out to be her nuna ( _sister_ ). Did she remember him? Does she remember their abeonim ( _father_ ) or eomeonim ( _mother_ )? How was she doing, outside of the view of the cameras? Where had she been all this time? Who took care of her all these years? On and on, the questions came flying into his mind.

Then, the thought soured. What if she didn’t remember him? What if he was wrong? He’d be humiliating himself on the national stage. He’d almost certainly be potentially committing a crime, almost certainly kicking him out of any high school he cared to enter.

The security guard waving the crowd forward made the decision for him, trapped as he was in the forward momentum of hundreds of fans surging ahead lest he be trampled under them. He felt himself gulp, watching the venue entryway swallow him and the blue sky give way to the white ceiling and fluorescent lighting of the building. The expanded space gave him room to breathe, letting him finally break away from the crowd. He leaned against the pillar, deciding to let the crowd stream in before him. 

Pulling a bottle of water from his pack, Baek-Hyeon sat down on the floor, taking a long swig. Watching the front door, his mind imagined the three of them walking into the room, smiles on their faces. They would be there to support their daughter, his sister as she pursued her dreams and made it big in the industry. She’d step out for a moment in between makeup sessions just to greet them, give them a warm hug, maybe even a short chat about school, work, love, whatever else that came to mind. Just as quickly as the soothing sight had appeared, it faded as cruel reality came racing back. He was here alone. How was he going to explain that to her?

He watched as the bathroom door swung open, two of the (G)-IDLE members stepping out in full makeup and attire. His heart skipped a beat as he strained his head forward. Neither of them were Soyeon as he had hoped. Rather the youngest member Shuhua and Yuqi, both lost in conversation with one another as they trundled back towards their dressing room. His head dipped a little lower, avoiding their gaze as they passed him. The Q&A after the performance would have to do. Barging into their dressing room unannounced was a recipe for disaster, considering they’d throw him out before his claims could be verified. And he’d look a little… unsavoury even if she did believe him.

Baek-Hyeon grasped how famous the group was getting as he re-entered the concert hall. Bodies were packed together like sardines, all excitedly chatting with their fellow fans and getting in ‘ _practice_ ’ cheers as they waited for the concert to begin in earnest. He took his seat, bowing politely every once in a while as fans passed him to find their own spots. The wait gnawed at his resolve, every second that passed painfully ticking by.

Backstage, the group were already getting into place. Some were practising the dance moves one final time, while others checked their appearance in the mirror to make sure every facet was in place. As the de-facto leader, Soyeon was at the front of the line, peeking out from the curtains at the gathering crowd. The tension was still palpable, despite being a veteran of this kind of event. She welcomed it, the need to one-up her own self. The competitive spirit ran in her blood.

She absent-mindedly patted the pendant around her neck. She remembers little of what had transpired, the memories becoming dull as time went on. The faces of her parents were little more than blurry shades in her dreams. Her adoptive parents, the ones who had found her cold and alone on the streets and took her in, having no children of their own were clearer. She felt thankful to them for doing so.

The only thing left of her old life was the pendant, the half she still had. Soyeon had usually kept it hidden away, not daring to show something so personal to the public, not even when they debuted. As time wore on, the feeling felt silly to her. It was a part of her, certainly not something to be ashamed of. Thankfully, the manager and the CEO were certainly not going to deny a rather simple request by one of their money making stars. One tiny trinket wasn’t going to overturn the public perception so drastically.

The production assistant’s voice rang out, waving a thumbs up to the girls. “Alright. We’re good to go.”

“Soyeon?” Yuqi’s voice rang out, rousing Soyeon from her thoughts.

“Joesonghabnida ( _Sorry_ ).” she said, bowing low to Yuqi before turning back to face the stage. She watched the MC pacing back and forth on the stage, hyping up the crowd with bombastic aplomb.

“This girl group is sweeping the nation and tearing up the charts! Help me in welcoming (G)I-DLE to the stage!” At the sound, the whole room exploded in cheers and hoots of joy. Tentatively, Soyeon took the step one at a time, her group mates following suit behind her. The glare of the stage lights hit them and the dark hallways of the backstage area gave way to a sea of fans all waiting to see them in action.

‘ _Showtime, Soyeon. Now or never._ ’

It was Baek-Hyeon’s first time seeing a performance like this up close and in person. The music blared loud, overwhelming even the most ardent fans. The 6 members moved in tandem, showing off their appeal and charm with each motion. The song was certainly very catchy, a little remix of _Senorita_ to ease the crowd in and helped along with an array of special effects to dazzle the audience even more. He watched in awe as Soyeon led the charge, belting her heart out for the performance. Soojin led the dance itself, her body flowing in tune with the music. The others played their own solo parts to the letter, exuding their own distinct personalities for the crowd to witness.

As the performance concluded and the crowd, Baek-Hyeon was finally able to get a good look at Soyeon. She was sporting a blonde bob, propping up a face lined with all kinds of jewellery from the ones surrounding her neck to the ones dangling from her ears, giving off a very confident look. The outfit she sported was equally daring, a low cut black top with contrasting white longs that gave off a biker-like persona. The others were in matching attires, though Shuhua and Minnie were a little more conservative by comparison.

“Thank you very much, everyone! We hope you enjoyed our performance!” Soyeon said jubilantly, a slight hint of exhaustion seeping through. The crowd applauded for their performance as the group bowed low, as did Baek-Hyeon, a smile on his face. The MC raced up, applauding in kind with the crowd before picking up the microphone once more.

“Let’s get some questions before the next performance. Anyone wishing to do may raise their hand. I’ll call on them at random.” he motioned, earning a short round of cheers from the audience. 

For the next 10 minutes, Baek-Hyeon was in a bidding war with the fans. He raised his hand every single time the MC was done. As question after question passed by, he resorted to more elaborate gestures, jumping up and down, anything to get the MC’s attention. Sadly, he was far from the most enthusiastic fan on the floor and other more savvy fans soon picked up the questions in no time.

The MC motioned to Soyeon. She nodded back. It was almost time to start the next song. “Okay, we have time for one last question. Make it a good one!”

That quickly drew panic from Baek-Hyeon. This was the only scheduled Q&A session on the docket. If he missed this, he might not have another shot. He couldn't rely on a roll of the dice this time. He glanced over to the fan on his right, his hand starting to shoot up.

“Sorry about this.” he whispered gently. His right foot swiftly came down on the shoe of the man. As his pained yelp echoed in the room and the immediate crowd around him lowered their hands in concern for their fellow fan, his own hand shot up in response. His eyes met the MC’s and widened in delight as his own hand pointed in his direction, the spotlight suddenly shining upon him.

He felt his body shiver in anticipation as the microphone was handed to him. One sweaty hand clutched the device as tightly as the other gripped onto his half of the pendant. He looked like any other nervous fan as he stepped out of his row in clear view of the crowd and the idols on stage, so much so he barely noticed the fan he had ‘ _accidentally_ ’ stepped on giving him a murderous glare.

“Gamsahabnida ( _Thank you_ ).” he said, slowly reaching inside his pocket and feeling the pendant brush against his fingertips. Baek-Hyeon took a deep breath to steel himself.

‘ _Moment of truth, Baek-Hyeon. Now or never._ ’

“I… I wanted to give… Soyeon-ssi something. It’s been in my family... for many years and I thought it would… suit you.” he found himself stuttering nervously, the words tumbling out in an awkward manner. He held out his clenched hand, opening it slowly to reveal the pendant. Soyeon could not tell much beyond its general shape due to the distance between them.

“I know it doesn’t... look like much, but I hope it is to your liking.” he said, bowing low in an apologetic manner and holding the pendant out towards her general direction.

‘ _Please be right. Please be right._ ’ he repeated in his head. If he was wrong, he’d be left humiliated and with his hopes dashed on the rocks. And he’d be out a pendant that meant the world to him. His eyes closed in desperate prayer.

There was a quizzical look on Soyeon’s face at first. It seemed weird that this fan would give up something so precious to her. Then again, this wasn’t the most ridiculous thing a fan has done to earn her attention. She nodded approvingly towards security, watching as one of them walked towards the teenager to retrieve the gift. The teenager offered it without hesitation, bowing low to the security guard before his eyes looked back to her. The guard inspected the item, nodded once to Baek-Hyeon before walking back to her, reaching up to hand it over to her.

She smiled, preparing to give a bow to the teenager for the thoughtful gift. That was until she looked down to see what was in the palm of her hand. Her eyes widened as she saw the metal pendant with its distinct grooves, showing a weathered photo of a tall man holding the hand of a young toddler. Almost instinctively, she reached for the pendant around her neck and held the two together to one another. The pieces clicked together audibly, leaving her with a fully formed pendant in her hand, the picture of the family she thought long gone now made whole. But how did he get a hold of the missing piece? Did he fashion a convincing replica? Had he stolen it from somewhere? The questions came fast, but her answer came just as quickly.

“Nuna? ( _Older sister?_ )” Baek-Hyeon articulated clearly, looking expectantly at her with a trembling expression, his hand already slackening its grip on the microphone. Her eyes met his and her mouth widened into a look of shock as realization dawned on her.

‘ _Is he…?_ ’ the question passed her mind and was answered in the same instant, with one last glance to the pendant.

The audible thud of a microphone hitting the stage rang out as her grip on the device slackened. The two stared openly at one another, heedless of the press and fans now starting to snap away and scream in astonishment. To them, the world had melted away into nothingness. No fellow group members looking just as astonished by the turn of events. No cameras snapping away at a breaking story in the making. No raving fans screaming for an explanation. No performance to memorise and display.

Just two people wondering if they could believe their eyes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter has been a good hook to draw you in as we start getting into the meat of the story. It has been interesting to plot out potential storylines to take this story in and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my efforts thus far.
> 
> See you in the next chapter!


	3. Catching Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon and Soyeon finally meet face to face. Soyeon receives more shocking news and Baek-Hyeon is introduced to the rest of the group.
> 
> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.
> 
> With that said, let’s get into it!

Everything erupted after that word tumbled out of his mouth. Reporters swarmed forward, rushing the stage to shove a microphone in Baek-Hyeon’s face as fast as they could. Several cameras spun on their pedestals to face Baek-Hyeon instead, cross-cutting between him and Soyeon. The fans for the most part remained still, too shocked to make any moves. The few that had recovered were of a more accusatory mind, their ire and glares trained on Baek-Hyeon for upstaging their beloved idol or taking her attention away from them.

Soyeon felt the tears start to well underneath her makeup, clutching the pendant like a keepsake. She heard high heels clomp onto the stage behind her, the hands of her group members ushering her away from the wave of camera flashes going off in front of her. In her daze, she could do little but follow along and leave Baek-Hyeon to the mercy of the crowd. All around, she could hear the production crew scrambling in earnest, frantically trying to put out a media firestorm before it was too late.

She didn’t remember much of the trip back to their dressing room, only that she was now seated on the sofa, staring from the fully formed pendant in her hands to the expectant gazes of 5 extremely curious young women looking back at her. She took a hesitant gulp, then addressed the youngest in a halting voice.

“Shuhua, could you ask security to bring him here?“

Shuhua hesitated. “Unni, is the manager going to be okay with this?” Soyeon turned around, fixing Shuhua with a pleading look in her eyes. There was an audible sigh, Shuhua letting her shoulders sag ever so slightly. She looked to the others, receiving similar nods from them as well.

“Okay, I’ll go tell them to bring him.” she said in a reassuring tone, slowly leaving the room. Only when the door shut behind her did the other four rush to take seats next to Soyeon on the sofa.

“Soyeon-ah, are you okay?” Minnie asked, patting Soyeon’s shoulder.

A tear rolled down her cheek, stained with eyeliner. “I… I don’t know, Minnie-ah.”

Soojin quickly cut to the chase. “You never mentioned having a brother before.”

“I was adopted. I never had a brother growing up.” she said in a brusque tone, wiping the tear away with a shaky hand.

Soojin looked a little hurt by Soyeon’s admission, legs crossed over one another. “You never told us that.”

Soyeon paused, looking to Soojin with a pained expression. “I… It was personal, Soojin-ah. I didn’t really feel comfortable talking about it.”

Minnie patted her shoulder again. She could empathise with that to some degree, being so far away from her family. “Do you think he’s telling the truth? He could be lying for all we know.”

Soyeon shook her head vehemently. “I don’t see how he could be. Who’d make up this kind of lie? Or know enough about my pendant to do so?”

“We get people declaring that we’d be marrying them in the future. This can’t be…” Yuqi trailed off as soon as she saw Miyeon shake her head. “Joesonghabnida ( _sorry_ ), unni.” she bowed low apologetically to Soyeon.

Soojin wasn’t convinced. “What are you going to do now?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s her family. She would want to get to know him!” Miyeon quickly replied.

“Yes, if this family situation was normal.” Miyeon looked flabbergasted, a frown pointed in Soojin’s direction. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying... we should exercise some caution. I don’t want to see you get hurt, Soyeon-ah.” Soojin quickly corrected her.

As Soyeon was about to answer her, the door to the dressing room swung open. As the girls spun their heads about, the young teenager flanked by two security guards on either side of him walked in. The teenager looked terrified, eyes cautiously darting between the two guards. His hands clutched the straps of his backpack, his grip just a tad tighter than need be. The guards eyed him warily, menacing even with their gazes covered by sunglasses. Nudging him forward, the two guards stepped outside and closed the dressing room door behind them.

“Could you give us a moment?” Soyeon asked them.

Miyeon nodded, followed quickly by the other three. “Of course, Soyeon-ah. We’ll be right outside if you need us.” She quickly ushered everyone else from the room, sparing one last nod to Soyeon as she closed the door behind her.

There was an awkward pause as the two siblings stared at one another. Baek-Hyeon nervously tapped his thumbs against one another, awkwardly staring around the room. He moved towards the sofa, Soyeon quickly shuffling aside to make room. He paused, changing direction and taking the seat opposite her. Soyeon in turn awkwardly moved back to her prior seat. Seconds passed in continued silence.

Soyeon sighed audibly. She decided to go first. “I don’t know where to start, to be honest.” 

Baek-Hyeon nodded, his eyes quickly finding Soyeon’s. “Neither do I. I didn’t think this would happen.”

That surprised her. “Really? You didn’t expect the attention?”

Baek-Hyeon quickly shook his head. “No… I was… I thought you might not remember. Or... that I had gotten the wrong person.” 

“I do remember, just not everything. That part of my life has been a little hazy for me. I only remember our eomeonim, more from the photo than anything.” she admitted to him, feeling the pendant swing gently around her neck.

His tone faltered momentarily, his fears scratching “What… what made you believe me then?”

She removed the pendant, gently placing it in the palm of her left hand. “I’ve had the pendant for as long as I can remember. I haven’t really displayed it in the public eye until about a week ago. I don’t believe you would go to such lengths to fake it when there were other easier and less attention grabbing ways to simply talk to me. Plus, you wouldn’t have known about the picture inside.”

‘ _When you put it that way, it makes sense..._ ’ Baek-Hyeon admitted to himself.

“How old are you now?”

“17, nuna.” he responded quickly.

Soyeon smiled. “So you’re going to start high school soon?” she asked. Baek-Hyeon quickly nodded, a slow smile forming. ‘ _This is good. Some light banter to start things off…_ ’

“I always wondered what it would be like. I suppose I can live vicariously through you!” she chuckled.

“I… suppose so... I’ll be sure to relay the most… um... boring things I can think of.” he said, chuckling at his joke, awkward as the delivery was. Soyeon giggled as well. ‘ _Seems we have a shared concept of jokes, simple as it might seem._ ’

“You’ll do great, I’m sure of it.” she said with a warm smile. Baek-Hyeon returned the gesture.

“Where’s abeonim and eomeonim?” Baek-Hyeon paused, the smile slowly draining from his face. “I’m sure they will be happy to see me again! Did they come here too? I can send someone to…” she paused her enthusiastic banter, watching as the teenager’s body started to curl in on itself. Had she said something wrong?

Baek-Hyeon began to wail, his body bowing low even as tears ran down his cheeks. “I’m... sorry, nuna. I’m… sorry…” he spoke in a halting tone, his hands gripping his pants and his entire body trembling with each wracking sob. 

Soyeon’s eyes went wide, her mouth morphing from a smile to crestfallen disbelief. There was little explanation necessary. As she clutched the sobbing Baek-Hyeon in her arms, gently patting him on the shoulder, her expression reflected his own and the two siblings were left in the dressing room, united in their grief.

Outside the dressing room, the four girls ambled about aimlessly. It was hardly any different from their short breathers before performances, but their concern for their friend was amplifying their restlessness. Miyeon had to restrain Yuqi from listening in, pulling her away from the door with one hand wrapped around her mouth.

“Owwww, unni... ! I wanted to listen in.” Yuqi complained after Miyeon released her, rubbing her wrist in an exaggerated manner.

Miyeon frowned. “Don’t be rude, Yuqi. Let them talk.”

Soojin folded her arms, leaning against the wall. “Not too long, I hope. We still have a performance in about 5 minutes.”

Minnie looked confused. “You think there’ll still be a performance, unni?”

Soojin shrugged her shoulders, stretching her long legs like an old muscle. “Doesn’t hurt to prepare anyway.” As the others considered heeding her advice, they heard the clomp of shoes racing towards them, a familiar figure rushing to catch up to them.

“Cheon Da-nim?” Miyeon bowed low as their manager hurried towards them. Despite the humidity and lack of AC in the backstage, the tall, rather handsome individual was barely breaking a sweat. He had only been with the company for a year but he was fast growing into a reliable hand, happy to stay nights to please the whims of the company and by extension the group’s as well. 

“Yuqi-ssi, Miyeon-ssi, Minnie-ssi, Soojin-ssi. I assume Soyeon-ssi is still inside with her... surprise guest.” he thumbed towards the dressing room, his tone emphasising his own misgivings about the whole affair. Controlling the narrative when the teenager had all but announced his heritage in front of cameras and reporters was all but impossible. The CEO had chewed him out, on speaker in front of the whole production crew, about why he had to hear from tabloids regarding Baek-Hyeon. That Soyeon had decided to speak with him so quickly was concerning.

Soojin shared his misgivings. “Yes. She’ll be done soon. Hopefully...”

“I see. In any case, you may tell her that the concert has been postponed. We will need to have a discussion with her and her… dongsaeng ( _younger sibling_ ) about this with the CEO, but it can wait until tomorrow.” he told them. The girls nodded. The concert would be dominated by the news anyways.

Minnie raised her hand. “Cheon Da-nim, what’s going to happen with Soyeon-ssi?” She had good reason to worry. While certainly not anywhere close to scandals as far as they knew, Baek-Hyeon was a wild card the CEO would not want to deal with, not when it could potentially take down their money-making idol group as well.

“I do not know, Minnie-ssi.” he shrugged his shoulders. That did little to assuage their concerns. “I will bring the van around. Shuhua-ssi is clearing up your stuff, so she’ll meet you at the van later.”

Minnie nodded, bowing low as Cheon Da-nim chased after the production crew, frantically attempting to prevent rumours from spreading. “Gamsahabnida ( _Thank you_ ).” she called out to the retreating manager.

A couple more minutes passed before the dressing room door finally opened, both Soyeon and Baek-Hyeon stepping out one after the other. Both looked worn out in the emotional sense, their faces a little distraught. 

Miyeon walked up to the both of them, bowing his head to Baek-Hyeon as common courtesy. “I don’t think we were properly introduced. I’m Miyeon. That’s Soojin. Over here is Yuqi. And this is Minnie.” she said, pointing each member out in turn. Soojin and Minnie gave respectful nods, while Yuqi went with an enthusiastic hand wave.

He bowed low in respect. “I’m Baek-Hyeon. Nice to meet you all.”

Soyeon started to walk past them towards the stage, Miyeon halting her with an outstretched hand. “No need, Soyeon-ah. The concert was cancelled. Cheon Da-nim told us.”

“I’m sorry about your concert.” Baek-Hyeon quickly said, bowing low again. ‘ _I hope this concert wasn’t too important for them._ ’

“It was rather... dramatic at least. The first time I’ve seen a concert interrupted like this.” Minnie admitted with a soft chuckle.

“How old are you?” Yuqi asked.

Soyeon chimed in, though her tone seemed withdrawn. “17.”

“Not much younger than us.” Soojin chimed in. Minnie gave a knowing look to Soojin and Miyeon. _'Some of us at least..._ '

Ever the cheerful one, Yuqi was quick to wrap her arm around Baek-Hyeon, firmly gripping on the teenager’s shoulder. “Come on, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. You’ll be fielding a lot of questions for us in the van. And don’t think about trying to stay silent!”

Baek-Hyeon began to protest, even as Yuqi started pulling him away by the hand from the others. “I don’t think... that’s necessary, Yuqi-ssi…!” he yelped, the final words sounding distant as Yuqi dragged him away to the van. Minnie, Soojin and Miyeon smirked as they disappeared behind the corner. ‘ _Another one falls to Yuqi-ssi’s boundless energy._ ’ Turning back to Soyeon, the three were quick to realise something amiss from the way Soyeon was standing, her head bowed low and hair slightly dishevelled.

Miyeon approached her cautiously. “Soyeon-ah, what’s wrong?”

The characteristically confident Soyeon could only stammer out the words, before her knees gave way. “They’re… they’re gone.” 

All three of them understood almost immediately. “Your parents?”

Soyeon felt her walls crack again, her knees wobbly as she dropped to the floor. Minnie and Soojin quickly rushed to join Miyeon, all crouching down next to her. “Last month. They were… they were looking for me. This whole time...”

Miyeon wrapped her arm around Soyeon, pulling the idol into a warm embrace as she sobbed into her shoulder. “It’s okay... It’s okay…” Soojin and Minnie helped their fellow members to their feet, choosing to take the walk to the van in silence, out of respect for their fellow idol’s grief.

The ride home later that evening was rather somber and quiet. Baek-Hyeon’s news had left Soyeon in quiet contemplation, her form blankly staring out the van window as they passed another city block. He watched Soyeon with Miyeon and Shuhua with growing concern. Yuqi remained silent, thinking better than to pepper them with questions at this time. Minnie and Soojin were seated in the far back of the van, conversing with one another in whispers. About what, the others could not care about in the moment.

‘ _Should I have just kept quiet? I should have known the news would be too much to bear._ ’ Baek-Hyeon thought to himself, fidgeting in his seat. He had just met her and delivered the kind of news that would be devastating to anyone, let alone someone who hadn’t seen them in 14 years. Soyeon was of a similar mind, wondering if her question had dredged up bad memories for him. ‘ _Should I have asked him? I could have seen how uncomfortable he was._ ’ she pondered herself.

Eventually, Yuqi could not contain her natural curiosity. She started simple, with a little back and forth exchange of contact information and basic details between Baek-Hyeon. The others were not as enthusiastic, but Yuqi soon convinced the others to chime in. Even Soyeon in her contemplation soon handed over her contact details, but did not deign to join the conversation afterwards.

“Just around this corner on your right.” he pointed out the turn to Cheon Da-nim as they came up to it. His sudden jerk of the wheel took the right a bit more abruptly, jarring a dozing Yuqi awake with a shudder. Soyeon watched as they drove down a narrow road, finally stopping outside a worn down house at the end of the street, the road leading away to the right side of the van. 

‘ _So this is where you all have been this whole time…_ ’ she thought regretfully. Her mind raced, wondering if she had ever passed this part of the city, never knowing that her family was mere blocks away. Her mind drew a blank, only making the guilt that much more painful.

Baek-Hyeon bowed low as he stepped off the van, gripping the strap just a tad bit tighter. “Thank you for the ride, sir. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it. Anything for Soyeon’s namdongsaeng.” Cheon Da-nim said, waving off his gesture politely.

Baek-Hyeon walked towards the gate as the others leaned back into their seats, Cheon Da-nim preparing to close the van door. “Annyeonghi jumuseyo, everyone! ( _Good night!_ )” he said, waving goodbye before turning back to head inside.

“Baek-Hyeon!” he heard Soyeon call out as she stepped out of the van. Before he knew it, his sister had locked him in a bear hug. He responded in kind, letting the moment stretch for a second or two. She drew back, a trembling smile on her features as she pushed aside a tuft of Baek-Hyeon’s hair. He smiled back in kind, watching her straighten out his hair before walking back towards the van, the automatic door sliding close behind her.

As the van drove away, the figure of her brother slowly retreating into his… their home, Soyeon felt her resolve start to build itself back up. A noticeable grin brooked her features as she spun back to the others. As Soojin restarted the conversation with an anecdote about the new batch of trainees, she knew that despite the day’s gloomy outlook, a single silver lining made all the difference in how she’d remember it.

She knew she had family out there. And so too did he...


	4. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Baek-Hyeon and Soyeon now aware of each other and their shared history, they must now deal with the fallout from Baek-Hyeon’s stunt at the concert. Baek-Hyeon also deals with the prospect of orientation for high school and Soyeon explores what was once her childhood home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

He was laid out in his bed, tossing and turning in a vain attempt to drift off into a deep slumber. He never had much problems before, if the constant dousing of water from his parents just to get him to school was any indication. In his understandably restless state, every sound from outside was amplified. The roar of an overnight flight soaring overhead. The rustling of garbage in the strong gale.

Baek-Hyeon jostled awake, shaking his head in annoyance. His hand ran through his messy hair as he sat up in the darkened bedroom, thin streams of light from the outside light. He knew why he was having trouble falling asleep. He also knew that it was way too late for him to call her. Still, his curiosity won out as he pulled an old phone from his end table, cycling through the contacts until he found the contact labelled ‘ _Sister_ ’.

‘ _I wonder if she’s still up._ ’ he thought to himself, pressing the call button without a second thought.

Miles away in (G)I-DLE’s dorm, the phone buzzed, vibrating against the mattress with vigour. The ring followed soon after. Soojin, fast asleep on the bunk bed above Soyeon’s stirred awake with a grumble, tufts of hair out of place. She peeked her head over the edge, her brows furrowed in annoyance as soon as she realized who was calling.

Soyeon, fresh off from an intense practice session sighed in relief as she stepped into the room, a wet towel in her hand. As she prepared to collapse in her bed and let sleep overtake her, she felt something bump into her. Startled, Soyeon came face to face with a bedraggled Soojin, holding a ringing phone in her hand. Her ringing phone, with ‘ _Baek-Hyeon_ ’ on the screen. Wordlessly, she nodded her appreciation to the idol as she accepted the phone, answering it as Soojin stumbled back to her own bed.

“Hey, nuna ( _older sister_ ).”

Soyeon leaned against the wall, her smile lit up by the phone screen light. “Hi, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. Can’t sleep?”

He groaned, his free hand rubbing his eyes. “Yeah... You too?”

“No. I just finished practice.” Soyeon felt herself yawn, the adrenaline from practice starting to wear off.

“Oh, right. Idol life.” Soyeon heard him chuckle.

She responded in kind. “Hahaha! I’m glad to see you’re getting the hang of it.”

“I probably still have a lot to learn about your work.” 

“And I’ll be there to mock you every step of the way.” Soyeon jokingly remarked, stifling her chuckle when she heard Soojin groan again, turning her body over to her other side.

It was his turn to laugh again. “Hahaha!”

He paused momentarily. “I still have a lot of questions I want to ask. I just can’t get them out of my head.”

Soyeon couldn’t argue that, her eyes rising to look at the clock. It was 10 past 3AM. Normal for long days on the job, but hardly ideal nonetheless. “I know. I do too, but we’ll be here all night if we tried. As much as I work, I still need my beauty sleep.”

“That’s fair.”

She paused, realising that he hadn’t been told about the agency location. “Speaking of tomorrow, do you know how to get to the agency?”

“Should be easy enough to look up.” He responded, making a mental note to look it up on Naver in the morning.

“I can ask someone to pick you up, if you want.”

Baek-Hyeon quickly responded, not wanting to be further in her debt. “No, it’s okay. I’ll find my way. Besides, it’ll be nice to go into a new part of the city.”

“Okay. Just… be safe, alright?” Soyeon emphasised the safety concern.

“Okay, nuna. I should let you get some sleep.”

Soyeon spoke softly, not wanting to wake Soojin again as she clambered into bed and drew the blanket over herself. “Good night, Baek-Hyeon-ssi.”

“Good night, nuna.” he responded in kind, before disconnecting the line and placing the phone back into the end table drawer.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep overtook him and his eyes fluttered back into blissful slumber. He couldn’t help but grin in his sleep, knowing now that it wasn’t the questions that had kept him awake. For once, he felt confident that the nightmare would not trouble him tonight. Tomorrow would be a better way to start things off. He had to believe that.

Come the crack of dawn, Baek-Hyeon felt more energised than he had felt in a whole month. The routine went by, quick as his feet clomped along the road as he raced towards the nearest bus stop. He was dressed in the best clothes he could find amidst his still clean laundry, though it paled in comparison to the outfits his sister had worn yesterday.

The bus ride into the city was mercifully uneventful. He had expected to be mobbed or recognised for his stunt at . Thankfully, it was still the early morning and most of the people on the train were the elderly and the young families taking a day off for themselves, the kind of people who would not keep up to date on the latest K-Pop news. For his part, Baek-Hyeon blended in, bowing politely as new passengers came aboard but otherwise keeping to himself. 

He had never really had a reason to journey to this area, let alone visit an agency building. He knew fellow classmates that had dropped out to pursue their dreams as trainees. He was there when most came back a year later, the fire in their eyes snuffed out by harsh reality. The few that didn’t come back, he hoped had found their way into the spotlight. Finding himself in the lobby of one felt like he had jumped the front of a line of fans for something he had little interest in before.

The receptionist at the front desk smiled as he entered, motioning towards the stairs on her right. “You must be Hak Baek-Hyeon. They’re waiting for you upstairs, on the right.”

He took the steps one at a time, the feeling of nervousness growing with each footstep. When he rounded the corner, the floor gave way to a mass of meeting rooms and a hallway leading off to the dance and recording studios. Stepping towards the right, he could see that he was the last to arrive. Soyeon and the others were seated around the left end of the table while a portly middle aged man and their manager took the right end.

‘ _Guess there’s no putting this off._ ’

He felt 8 pairs of eyes turn to meet his own as the door swung open, the middle aged man rising from his seat with an outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you, Baek-Hyeon. I’m Gyeong Youngsoo, CEO of CUBE Entertainment.” he spoke in a genteel manner as Baek-Hyeon shook his hand.

“Please take a seat.” he motioned towards an empty seat between Soyeon and Cheon Da-nim, which Baek-Hyeon gracefully took without another word, his backpack stuffed between his legs.

“Look, I’ll put this up front. We would like to get a DNA test.” Soyeon was quick to express a look of displeasure. “Just to sort it all out, I assure you.” Youngsoo said in equally fast measure.

Cheon Da-nim nodded grimly. “You need to understand, Baek-Hyeon. Your stunt has made Soyeon-ssi’s prospects a little risky, which is not beneficial to the company and to the group as a whole. If people believe that she hid this or perpetrated a publicity stunt in her name…”

“I’m sorry about that, but I didn’t think I’d get another chance to speak to her. I’m not trying to derail her career.” he said defensively, Soojin giving a silent scoff at his answer.

Youngsoo nodded. “Regardless of the reason, we need to know the facts so we can get ahead of the press on this.”

Baek-Hyeon bowed low respectfully. “I understand, sir. I’ll take the test.”

“Good. Soyeon, I think no one will fault you if you wanted to take the day off. Spend some time getting to know one another.”

Inwardly, it was music to her ears. More time to spend with her newfound family was great. Outwardly, she projected a calm expression. “If you think it’s best, sir.”

“As for the rest of you, there will be a lot of training in the months ahead. Since the concert was cut short, we will need to put on a separate concert to keep our promotion cycle going. We’re aiming to pull this off within the month, so there’ll be no resting on your laurels just yet.”

He paused briefly, receiving acknowledgements from all six members. “In addition, the press and the public will have more eyes on us for the next week or so. Be careful in how you deal with them regarding this. Legal will coach you on your responses, so be sure to make time for that.”

“The doctor will be in soon to draw your and Soyeon’s blood. We’ll leave you to it.” Youngsoo and Cheon Da-nim rose to their feet, bowing low to the group and Baek-Hyeon before leaving the room and beginning the short walk back to the CEO’s office.

Cheon Da-nim was quick on the question as soon as the office door was closed behind them. “Sir, can we afford to wait for the test? Shouldn’t we prepare for the fallout?”

“If the DNA test turns out to be true, then their claims no longer hold merit. We play this right, this could be a boon for the company.”

“I don’t follow, sir.” he asked, eyebrows raised in confusion.

“K-Pop idol re-discovers family, takes time to bond with their sibling. That will engender the public to her plight and encourage them to support (G)I-DLE through this trying time. We garner the trust of the girls and the public in the company and in turn we reap the profits.” Youngsoo explained, seating himself behind his desk.

“And if her brother’s welfare affects her performance?”

“It won’t. If what you told me about his living conditions is true, she’ll need every paycheck she can get. Even if she breaks away from the company, it will take time for her to build a solo career, a fact that she is well aware of. She will put in the time.” Youngsoo retorted, mind already racing through the potential outcomes.

Cheon Da-nim’s eyes widened in surprise. The CEO had clearly thought this through. “I see, sir. That’s why you had him sit in on the meeting.” Gyeong Youngsoo nodded curtly. ‘ _Right now, that boy is well aware what his little stunt has cost his sister and her group mates. A kid like him won’t risk derailing their careers in such a selfish manner. Neither will Soyeon jeopardise her career and risk his well-being._ ’

Cheon Da-nim could hear the CEO swivel his chair behind him, before his voice became menacing, threatening even. “I expect this sort of foresight from you in future, Cheon Da-nim, considering your position. I do not appreciate being blindsided or having to perform the duties of my employees.”

He gulped, barely recovering in time to respond. “Yes, sir.” And he walked out of the office, his nerves at their wit’s edge. Soyeon’s brother had only been here for less than two days and already the stable position he had built over two years was starting to crumble. Cheon Da-nim agreed with the CEO on one thing at least. He refused to be blindsided again.

The ride back to the house was not as quiet as the last. Each of them threw questions back and forth, mostly about their childhoods. Baek-Hyeon regaled Soyeon about his life with their parents, his school life and all the little things that came and went in . Inevitably, the questions led to the accident itself. He explained as best he could, elaborating on the basics he had told her in the dressing room yesterday. For the most part, Soyeon kept her expression even as the explanation of the hit-and-run rattled her most of all.

For Soyeon, the questions she received were about her life with her adopted parents. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if Baek-Hyeon would hold any grudge against them. Realizing this, he was quick to explain how grateful he was that she had a good life and asked her to pass along his regards for taking care of his sister all these years. From there, the questions were easier to answer. Even as she started explaining her years as an entertainer and trainee, Baek-Hyeon still kept an interested look on him even as the idol could tell he was not as interested in that life.

Home proved to be more challenging for Soyeon. As she stepped into the humble abode for the first time in 14 years, she was saddened that the expected rush of memories did not come flooding back. No memories of her abeonim chasing after her, no memories of her eomeonim instilling her love of dance into her, no memories of hugging Baek-Hyeon as a toddler. All she had to go on was her brother’s words.

Baek-Hyeon was patient at least, leading her through the living room, the kitchen and his room in that order. While the living room and kitchen were exactly as advertised, her brother’s room was a cascade of interests and tastes all rolled into one. In the corner sat a small pile of literary books, with detailed write-ups scrawled across sticky notes and recycled paper in between the pages. The space just above his bed was lined with posters from various games, films and television series and all from disparate genres.

 _‘Guess he really likes to write._ ’ she mused thoughtfully, picking up a literary book and letting the weight of it rest in her hand. Baek-Hyeon flushed red with embarrassment, seeing Soyeon go through his room with such interest. He continued to smile, even as Soyeon left the room with a satisfactory nod in his direction.

That changed when they finally reached their parents’ room. Soyeon heard Baek-Hyeon audibly gulp as he swung the door open. She stepped inside, expecting to be hit with nostalgia, long lost memories, anything to jar the gaps in her childhood. Yet nothing came. She racked her brain again, taking one more glance at anything seemingly important. She felt her teeth bite into her lip, her lipstick staining her teeth.

His voice called out again, rousing her from her concentration stupor. “Nuna?”

“Sorry. Just trying to process all of this.” Soyeon felt her breathing quicken, clutching her chest to calm herself. She glanced around the room again, the lack of any triggering memories weighing heavier and heavier on her mind. Baek-Hyeon noticed it too, lost in thought as to how to help her.

Baek-Hyeon felt the bulb light up in his head. Crossing the length of the room, he tapped on Soyeon’s back. As she turned around, he beckoned towards the door, asking her to follow. Numbly, the idol staggered to her feet and followed her brother as he led her to a room to the far end of the corridor.

It took a moment between him swinging the door and flicking the light did she realise where he had brought her. The bed with a pink cover. A small study desk lined with photos of K-Pop idols past and papers of dance moves. A small mat in the center of the room, visible marks in the center. The photos of the family sitting on one of the shelves of the bookcase sitting in the corner.

Baek-Hyeon smiled, stepping aside to let her pass. “I thought you might want to see this.”

She stumbled into the room, the memories finally rushing back to her in waves. She remembered her abeonim ( _father_ ) playing the music, her feet scraping across the mat as she put on a solo performance to her most captive audience. She remembered her eomeonim ( _mother_ ). And she finally remembered Baek-Hyeon, who even as a toddler clapped to her performances with joy and the smile she had seeing her sibling in such a happy mood.

“They left the room exactly as it was. Eomeonim scolded me once when I came in here, made me carry a sack of rice up and down the street as punishment.” She could barely hear him, too lost in her new memories.

“I’ll leave you to it, nuna. Take your time.” Baek-Hyeon patted Soyeon’s shoulder, rising to his feet and stepping outside. Soyeon sat on her knees, caught in a joyous expression. As the door closed behind her, she felt the overwhelming urge to reach out to touch the mementos her parents had left behind. They had not forgotten her. It was only fair she did not forget them and the effort they put into keeping her on their minds.

Baek-Hyeon sat quietly, content with watching the TV on silent for now. He watched the telecaster detail the latest news, mostly regarding incidents in the city, the upcoming elections, so on and so forth. The entertainment portion of course had his recent stunt as the main story, debating the believability of the act and throwing out conspiracy theories when the plain truth ill suited them. After a good 5 minutes, even the muted TV grated on him and he switched it off immediately.

His eyes glanced over to the clock on the wall, reading close to 7:30PM. His stomach rumbled in tandem, just as Soyeon finally emerged from the hallway, wiping the tears away from her eyes. “So, dinner?”

“Yes, I’m starving. Anything you have in mind?”

He shrugged, shuffling through a set of worn-out takeout fliers. “I normally get fried chicken on the days we eat out. We could get something else?”

“You have good taste. I know a good place. They deliver very quickly too.”

His brow raised a little. “Aren’t idols supposed to be on diets?”

Soyeon scoffed in a mocking manner, hands on her waist. “If I’m going to spend money on family, it’d better be for something good! I’ll work it off, don’t you worry.”

As Soyeon whipped out her phone, swiping through a list of go-to fried chicken spots, the siblings heard someone ring the doorbell, the sound reverberating in their ears. Their heads swivelled towards the door, both wearing looks of confusion.

“That was fast.” Baek-Hyeon jokingly remarked.

Soyeon rose from her seat, swinging the door open. In the doorway stood Yuqi, flanked by Shuhua and Miyeon on her left and Minnie and Soojin on her right. Dressed in more casual attire, the members looked more like normal people, the kind Baek-Hyeon could imagine running into on a daily basis.

“Yuqi-ssi?” Soyeon’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Surprise, unni! We were in the neighbourhood, so we thought we’d come visit!” Yuqi’s bubbly voice intoned, to the eye-rolling of her fellow idols.

Soyeon stammered, watching as her five friends walked through the door without another word, arms laden with vegetables, raw meats, condiments, kimchi and more. “Uh, ummm… I…”

Baek-Hyeon quickly rose to his feet, bowing low to greet them as they flooded into the living room. “Oh, welcome! I didn’t expect to see you all here. We were just about to get dinner.”

Yuqi rose the bags in her hand above her shoulders. “Well, we brought it. And we’re cooking it.”

Soyeon started to follow after Minnie and Soojin into the kitchen, but felt Miyeon’s hands gently nudge her back, her head shaking back and forth. “Not you, Soyeon-ah. You sit down and continue your chat with your namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ).” she said, leading the idol back to her seat opposite Baek-Hyeon at the dining table and seating Soyeon with a firm hand.

“And I’m supposed to be the leader…” she muttered, watching Miyeon walk away and join the rest of the girls in the kitchen. Baek Hyeon and Soyeon watched as they flitted about, hurriedly unpacking, chopping up vegetables, toasting some bread, making sauces and any other tasks that came to mind.

He whispered to Soyeon, one eye side-glancing at the others. “Did you know they were coming?”

Soyeon shook her head. “No. I thought…”

Shuhua quickly interrupted them. “Baek-Hyeon-ssi, where do you keep the plates?”

“Um… under the counter on the left.” he pointed towards a cabinet just below her. Shuhua gave an appreciative thumbs up, reaching for the cabinet and pulling a set of white plates.

The aroma wafted in air as Shuhua set down the last plate of food on the crowded dining table. Kimchi, sundubu-jiggae ( _soft tofu stew_ ), bulgogi, two kinds of pajeon ( _pancake_ ) and many other delights lined the table, with Yuqi already splitting up the vegetable pajeon into chunks and taking a bite. Nodding once in gratitude for the meal, Baek-Hyeon went for the bulgogi first. As the tasty beef swirled in his mouth, he hummed his muffled approval.

“Mmm… this is good.” he said, reaching for a helping of kimchi.

“I’m glad you like it.” Yuqi grinned from the compliment.

“I’m surprised that you are all here. I thought Youngsoo-nim and Cheon Da-nim would keep you in practice.” Soyeon reached for the stew, piling a generous helping into her bowl.

Minnie answered, peeling off a piece of beef with some crispy edges to it from the plate with chopsticks. “Well, since you got a day off, we felt it fair to voice our displeasure with the favouritism of the CEO.”

That didn’t seem like Youngsoo-nim at all. “Really?” Soyeon asked warily.

“No, we just finished up early.” Yuqi and Shuhua snorted at Soyeon’s eye roll. “We figure it would be nice to get to know you, seeing as our last meeting was…” Minnie trailed off, the implication more than enough for everyone to get the gist.

Yuqi quickly chimed in. “Let’s not talk about that. We came here to welcome unni’s namdongsaeng into the family.” She raised her cup in the air, the others following suit.

“Geonbae! ( _Cheers!_ )” the six members and Baek-Hyeon clinked their glasses, downing the alcohol ( _or soda in Baek-Hyeon’s case_ ) with audible gulps.

“Oh, I forgot to ask this back at the agency. What is everyone’s age?”

It was a common question, though he knew well enough that they were older than him. The five members rattled off their ages in quick succession. When it came to Miyeon, Soojin and Minnie, their ages surprised him. He always expected the eldest to lead by example. 

“Oh? Is it weird having her as your leader?” He heard Soyeon’s chopsticks clatter, followed by a slap on the back.

“That’s not a nice question to ask, Baek-Hyeon.”

“She’s our leader because we trust her. Age has nothing to do with talent, Baek-Hyeon. I simply recognise that Soyeon has talents befitting a leader. As does Soojin and Minnie, I’m sure.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. Honest mistake.” Miyeon waved him off, giving a reassuring grin to soothe his guilt. It seemed to work, much to Soyeon’s surprise. As the oldest member continued to speak candidly with Baek-Hyeon, drawing the introvert out of his shell little by little, she wondered if Miyeon might be able to help her.

‘ _She’s always been the mom of the group. Maybe I should ask her for some pointers…_ ’

The night wore on, transforming from an awkward opening into a casual get-together, dinner rumbling and churning in their bellies, Baek-Hyeon and Soyeon found themselves gazing out at the night sky in the outside area while the remaining members were busy eating the last of the food and chatting amongst themselves.

“Do you need help with the bills? I can help pay for the school tuition.” Soyeon asked.

“I still have money for now. I don’t want to trouble you. Besides, don’t you still have some debts with the agency?”

“Between the songwriting, performances, commercials and such, I’ve managed to pay off mine somehow. I’ve been helping the others pay for theirs where I can.”

If she could pay it off in 2 years, what was stopping the others? “Are their debts really that big?”

“Songwriting pays well! So does going to America to shoot two songs!” Shuhua called out from the other room, before an audible smack caused the girl to yelp and fall silent.

“Then square their debts first. Think it’s only fair.” he agreed. These people had been friends for his sister for as long as her professional working career. Two days weren’t going to change her priorities, not that he wanted her to.

“I heard you’re starting orientation for high school next week.”

“Yeah… yeah, I am.”

“You don’t look excited.”

“Honestly, I feel a lot better about it than I did a week ago. It doesn’t feel so bad anymore now that you’re here.”

Soyeon was not convinced. His posture belied his nervous nature and his tone was still a little clipped, almost as if he was trying to psych himself up. Her gaze turned towards her room, the door slightly ajar.

“I could stay. My room is still vacant.”

He shook his head. “You have your own life now, nuna. You’re not putting yours on hold for my sake. I’ll manage somehow. Maybe when we’re… not so awkward around each other.” 

“It’s my life too. I should have a say in what I’m willing to endure...” she stopped herself, realising how overprotective she was being. “But maybe forcing it would be a bad idea.” Soyeon conceded, eliciting a thankful nod from Baek-Hyeon. There would be other battles to fight, after all. She gripped the pendant a little tighter.

“I wish I had pulled the pendant out sooner. Maybe they would have noticed. They might still…” Soyeon trailed off, wistfully staring into the distance.

He turned to face her, one hand leaning against the exterior wall. “You couldn’t have known.”

“I know that. It just feels like I could have done something.”

“I wish things were different too.” He paused, letting out an almighty sigh. “But we can’t change what happened. We just have to live in the present, much as it sucks.” He said, his final words laced with a hint of regret.

“Speaking of the past…” Soyeon grasped at the pendant around her neck, taking a deep breath. Her left hand gently tugged at her half, separating the pendant into two once more.

Baek-Hyeon quickly shook his head at her as realization dawned on him. “I can’t take this. As the older…”

Soyeon shook her own head, pressing his pendant half into his palm and closing his fingers around it. “Then as your nuna, I’m telling you to take your half back.” Baek-Hyeon sighed reluctantly, putting the piece back into his pocket before Soyeon jabbed at his shoulder playfully. “And don’t call me an elder again! I’m already imagining myself in a gray wig and wrinkles.”

Yuqi’s voice broke the moment, muffled as it was due to being stuffed with a juicy piece of barbecued pork. “Not a bad concept for a song, though. We should definitely do that for our next mix, right, unni? Then you can look like an elder for a good while!” she remarked teasingly, drawing chuckles from the others. Soyeon looked mortified, turning around and charging at the young idol. With a puppy dog look in her eyes, Yuqi leapt up from her seat and started taking huge steps away from the angry Soyeon.

“Yuqi! Come back here! You need some common sense beaten into you!” Soyeon yelled, grabbing a nearby pillow and chasing after the fleeing idol.

“Only if you catch me, unni!” she laughed, sticking her tongue out mockingly and only angering Soyeon even further. Minnie, Miyeon, Soojin and Shuhua, all stuck in the middle, were equal parts amused and annoyed. Miyeon in particular could only shrug in Baek-Hyeon, a knowing roll of her eyes tossed in for good measure.

As Baek-Hyeon watched Soyeon chase Yuqi in a circle around the other members, he pondered his sister’s words with more thought. Perhaps high school would not be so bad after all. He had dreaded it when the prospect of doing so without family was very real. Now, he had her. He had her colleagues, who were at least warming up to him. He had gotten through the couple of days well enough, the grief aside. What else could high school throw at him?


	5. Now In Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon attends orientation and finds that fame is not always a good thing. Soyeon visits her parents’ grave for the first time. The other members of (G)I-DLE deal with issues of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Practice felt like a welcome return to normalcy for Soyeon, given the week she had been through. Having to memorise a choreography was great in keeping her thoughts focused, the adrenaline of pulling off another flawless session a welcome reprieve. A full week had passed since that fateful concert, a week where her idol life had admittedly taken a backseat.

She had called her adoptive parents the day after the group’s dinner at Baek-Hyeon’s place, explaining the news as best as she could. They were very supportive, understanding of her desire to reconnect with her real family. While they offered to let Baek-Hyeon stay in their house should the need arise, Soyeon figured that convincing him to leave his… their family home behind would be a hard sell. Nevertheless, the support was much appreciated and she promised them a family gathering as soon as everyone had settled into their new normal.

The other members were just as equally supportive or least understanding of her situation. Miyeon and Yuqi were the most enthusiastic, already open to the idea of treating Baek-Hyeon as part of their family unit in a sense. Minnie and Shuhua had some reservations of their own, none that overrode their understanding of Soyeon’s newfound situation. Only Soojin harboured doubts similar to that of their manager, Cheon Da-nim and the CEO, Gyeong Youngsoo. She never openly voiced it, not even in private but Soyeon saw it more as a defensive reflex rather than open hostility. Only time would tell.

“Huff… That should be… enough for me today.“ Soyeon wheezed aloud, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down her face onto the floor below. She looked to the clock above the door, a quarter to nine.

“You’re sure you want to go alone, unni? I’m sure we can clear up our schedule.”

“Soojin-ah thinks we need more practice for the concert in two weeks and I’m inclined to agree with her.” She looked towards Soojin, still in the midst of practicing her routine. The others were in various states of relaxation, watching Soojin with a critical eye.

Yuqi pouted, hands on her hips. “And you get time off because…?”

“Because Baek-Hyeon is starting school today and I want to see him off. And I want to visit my parents’ grave afterwards. I’ve been putting it off for a while now.” she explained.

That confused Yuqi. She clearly remembered Baek-Hyeon coming to visit them in the studio, asking Soyeon if she was free. “You could have gone yesterday, unni.”

“Well, missing another day in a row would probably make Cheon Da-nim a little cranky, Yuqi-ah. Don’t worry. Soon as I’m done, I’ll join you in practice after dinner.”

The idol sighed loudly, her pout breaking into a warm smile. “Okay, unni. Give him our regards!” she said, waving the retreating Soyeon heartily. As the studio door closed behind the idol, Miyeon’s voice rang out behind her.

“You really shouldn’t push Soyeon-ah like that, Yuqi-ah.”

“Come on, unni! Aren’t you the least bit interested? This whole thing sounds like something out of a drama.”

“If that’s true, then we’re supporting characters.” Soojin scoffed, her head now buried in a small notebook as she leaned against the corner of the wall. It seemed to be drawing a lot of her attention, considering that the main dancer had barely stared at any of them in the last few minutes.

“Well, we’ll just wait for the sequel. What about you two? Aren’t you curious?” Yuqi needled Shuhua and Minnie.

Minnie merely shrugged her shoulders as she sat down on the floor. “I think Miyeon-ah has the right idea. It’s not our situation so we should let her deal with it as she sees fit. If she wants our help, she’ll ask.”

“I still think it’s a bit suspicious, don’t you? He suddenly brings out a pendant and that’s enough to prove his identity? He seems nice, don’t get me wrong but his intentions may prove less so.” Shuhua opinioned.

Miyeon couldn’t exactly deny her suspicions. “The DNA test should be coming back soon, right? We’ll know then, Shuhua.”

“Anyway, we should be thinking about squaring our debts away with the company. I’m not exactly comfortable with Soyeon trying to pay for them.” Miyeon said. The others nodded in agreement.

“Well, I’m debuting another single sometime after the concert so it should go a long way to that.” Shuhua offered.

“I’m working on a few things. Need to see if it pans out.” Soojin held out her notebook to the group briefly, her head buried back in it within seconds.

“I’ve been on a few variety shows. Could be worth exploring.” Yuqi shrugged.

“Some agencies have been looking for some commercial work. Can’t hurt to look.” Minnie offered up.

Yuqi turned to Miyeon expectantly. “Unni? What about you?”

Miyeon awkwardly glanced at the others, twiddling her thumbs. “I haven’t really… thought about it.”

Minnie smiled knowingly. “Been so busy taking care of us, right?” Miyeon could only nod awkwardly.

“Well, then we’ll just have to take care of you in turn, unni.” Yuqi beamed, holding Miyeon close to her shoulder. The other three chuckled heartily, the inversion of roles more than enough to break the otherwise weird conversation.

The large campus loomed large over them, blotting out part of the clear blue sky. Though her parents had paid for his tuition before their demise, she insisted on covering the costs for Baek-Hyeon’s supplies and uniform out of her own pocket, much to the consternation of her namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ). She hadn’t really had the time to properly change herself, a simple change to some long jeans and a more casual t-shirt the best she could muster before they had to rush from the house.

Soyeon looked over to Baek-Hyeon, seeing nervousness baked into his body from the start, from his lip-biting to his twitching legs and his tight grip on the straps of his backpack. A mischievous smirk passed her lips as she patted his back with a firm touch. He shot up, startled by the sudden gesture.

“Nervous?”

Baek-Hyeon gulped, chuckling awkwardly as he looked to Soyeon. “Couldn’t you tell?”

A pause as a fellow classmate rushed by them, wide eyes staring at Soyeon. “Do you think I could just drop out? Become an idol like you?”

Soyeon snorted aloud, shaking her head. “Not a chance, namdongsaeng. Besides, I’ve seen you dance.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Is it really that bad?”

She laughed heartily. “You managed to mortify Soojin-ssi of all people.”

“I could sing. I’m not as good as you but I can…”

She patted his shoulder again. It was cute watching him come up with anything to put it off. “Stop... It’s just high school. Trust me, being an idol is a lot more work than it looks. It’ll be fine.”

He sighed. Clearly, there was no avoiding this. “Okay, point taken. See you after school?”

“Of course. If something comes up, I’ll ask Cheon Da-nim to pick you up.”

“Give my regards to abeonim ( _father_ ) and eomeonim ( _mother_ ) for me.”

“I will. Have a good day at school. Hwaiting! ( _Used as a form of encouragement amongst Koreans._ )”

He smiled back, returning the thumbs up. “Hwaiting!” As he watched Soyeon smile and walk away, he himself stepped into the building, steeling himself for the day ahead.

Navigating the school was certainly much easier than he had expected, its winding hallways easier to traverse when there were a bunch of friendly students looking to guide him in exchange for some juicy gossip about his nuna. He answered only the basics, not wanting to give people any potential ammunition. Orientation came and went rather smoothly as well, an otherwise warm greeting from the rest of the class and the teacher and mercifully the questions did not follow him there. Even the class didn’t faze him as much, though the lecture did start to drag on his attention span. As the bell rang for lunch and his classmates started filing out in droves, he was starting to feel like his sister’s claims were more accurate than he had admitted. As he stepped outside, he felt himself bump up against someone. Baek-Hyeon stumbled back just a little, noticing the person he had bumped into.

It was a lanky-looking boy, his hair parted with hair gel and clothes that seemed remarkably well-kept in comparison to his own, a feat considering he was wearing new threads. His entire posture screamed his background, likely from a rich or influential background. Regardless of his own feelings, Baek-Hyeon dusted off his own uniform and extended a hand to him.

“Hi, I’m Baek-Hyeon! Nice to...” he stops, feeling his arm get slapped away by another boy, much more menacing in the physical sense. He and another teenager advanced on him, a wry grin on their faces.

“Don’t bother, bigshot. You won’t feel that way in a bit.” the lanky boy pursed his lip, an intense glare in his eyes.

Baek-Hyeon’s eyes darted between the large boys and the lanky teenager. “Look, I think there’s been a big misunderstand…”

“No misunderstanding. We just think someone like you needs to be taught a valuable lesson.” the lanky boy frowned as if his words were a slight against him, snapping his fingers with a loud thwack.

Baek-Hyeon felt two hands tug on his backpack, dragging him away. He looked at the teenager in wide-eyed terror, realising what was about to happen to him. “No, wait…!” his voice trailed as he rounded the corner, headed to one of the more remote bathrooms on the second floor where they wouldn’t be disturbed. His pleading looks bore sympathy, but little else from his fellow classmates.

Meanwhile, Soyeon had passed into the cemetery, her gloved hands buried in her coat as the chilly air blew against her face. She counted herself lucky that she has had no real need to visit places like this when she was growing up. She came only when her adoptive parents did, mostly to see off old friends or distant relatives that she had very little contact with.

It was relatively quiet at least at this time of day. With everyone eating lunch, the few mourners at this hour were the early-goers, wanting to wish their loved ones a good day before they continued their routines. Soyeon paused briefly as she witnessed a young couple place a small rose onto the graves of what looked like their parents, bowing low in respect as they did so. She stared at the tombstones even as the couple moved on, her mind lost in thought.

‘ _Is it wrong that I feel this way? They had a full life, it seems._ ’ She mused as she sauntered past the graves, the photos remaining etched in her mind. She knew little about those people, as much as she did her parents. Yet, she imagined that they had an average life. Surrounded by their loving family, passing away peacefully in their sleep. The way any person imagines leaving a full life behind.

She paused, the guilt starting to take hold. Her parents had no such luck. Their final moments were spent looking for her, surrounded by strangers, their son unable to reach them in time to properly say goodbye. And she, mere miles away at another concert with no clue. Her hands started to ball into fists. Despite what everyone had told her, a part of her still felt responsible.

‘ _Breathe, Soyeon. Just breathe._ ’ she told herself, letting a calm air wash over her. She still needed to see them and it would do little to keep them waiting. The steps came back to her and she ascended the hill in no time.

The idol finally reached the spot, easily finding it thanks to the small bouquet of flowers resting on their plots. Baek-Hyeon’s final parting gift before he went to high school. She had wanted to come, be there together with him. But missing too many practices in a row would have angered the CEO and she wasn’t about to test the limits of his generosity. Soyeon sat down cross-legged on the grass after setting down her own bouquet of flowers, looking over the gravestones with a wistful look in her eyes.

“I’m sorry I’m late, abeonim. Eomeonim.”

She paused before speaking again. “I heard that you had been looking for me... all these years. Baek-Hyeon-ssi told me you never gave up... looking for me.”

“I should have tried. Maybe if we had both been looking for each other, we would have found each other sooner.” she said, feeling a tear well at the corner of her eye.

“But at least you raised him right. Raised him to be kind. Understanding. Compassionate. Approachable.” She chuckles softly at the last word. “Well, awkward is a better word, but he did well against a bunch of idols all things considered.”

Baek-Hyeon feels their hands push him against the wall, a snigger in the crowd echoing in the distance. He tries to run towards them and slip away, but they shove him back again. The lanky teenager that had refuted his greeting steps forward and throws a right hook, slamming into Baek-Hyeon’s jaw with a sickening whack. He staggers back, head ringing from the blow.

“I couldn’t make your dream come true. I couldn’t say hello or goodbye. But I can pick up where you left off, give Baek-Hyeon a chance to pursue his own dreams. And I hope...” she paused, sniffling and wiping away her own tears. “I hope we’ll both be able to be there for each other, as we should have been from the start.”

He holds his hands up, trying to cover his face. It leaves his body wide open and the lanky boy takes the opportunity, gut punching him with a sickening thud. His cries fill the bathroom, but no-one outside rushes to his aid. They flee in every other direction instead, blotting out the sounds with hands to their ears.

“I promise I’ll protect him in any way I can.” she said with an air of conviction, eyes staring at the gravestones as she made her promise, unaware that her promise was broken the moment it had been made.

The whimpering form of Baek-Hyeon was left where he sat, moaning in pain as the bullies walked away, great smirks etched across their faces. He clutches his stomach, unable to stand on his feet. His body shakes, trying to contain his desire to weep even as it aches in pain. The only silver linings to this whole debacle? One, the bruises wouldn’t be visible for the most part, not unless someone stripped him down. And two, he really, really hated high school now...


	6. A Sense of Normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon hides his predicament from Soyeon. Soyeon is informed of the DNA test results and figures out her next steps in resolving the media blowout. Soojin consults Shuhua about her own potential single. Miyeon and Yuqi take steps to bonding with Baek-Hyeon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters are going to start setting up some storylines for the other members, with the plan of letting them play out in conjunction with the main story. I have an estimated number of chapters in mind for the full story, almost certainly below the 50 chapter mark.
> 
> Let’s get back into it!

It had been a little over two weeks since Baek-Hyeon had barged into their lives, time enough that the more salacious stories had finally died down. The concert was no longer first and foremost on the minds of the Korean people and practice that was once incomplete without their fearless leader was starting to pick back up. For some, it was a welcome return to normalcy.

Soyeon entered the meeting room with a hint of trepidation. The monthly review was up in a few days, but she did not put it past Cheon Da-nim to bump it to surprise them. She had as promised worked off the weight she had put on, her performance was still solid and a new song was already in the works. So, why did it feel like something was wrong? Maybe it was the fact that the CEO was sitting in as well, looking inquisitively at her as she took her seat opposite Cheon Da-nim.

“We finally got the DNA test results back.” Cheon Da-nim responded, his gaze looking towards Soyeon.

Soyeon pursed her lip. She had been expecting this for a couple of days now. It still baffled her why the delay was so pronounced. “That took longer than I expected.”

“There was a backlog, it seems. Apparently, a lot of fans are getting blood tests. They think they might be related to someone famous.” The CEO shook his head in disbelief as the words tumbled out. Even Soyeon could barely hold back a confused glance at him. She knew that her fans were some of the most loyal people she would ever meet, but there were times when their attention and the spotlight felt unwelcome, an intrusion on the norms.

‘ _Then again if it wasn’t for my profession, I doubt Baek-Hyeon would have been able to track me down._ ’

She looked towards them expectantly. “Well?”

“I suppose congratulations are in order. Baek-Hyeon is your flesh-and-blood brother.” Gyeong Youngsoo smiled, sliding a manila envelope to Soyeon. Her hands quickly yanked out the document and scanned across the summary at the bottom of the page.

‘ _Based on the matching DNA markers, we can confirm with 99% accuracy that the DNA sample from Hak Baek-Hyeon shares commonalities with the DNA sample from Jeon Soyeon often seen in samples from siblings._ ’

She looked up from the paper in relief. Confirmation at last. Maybe she’d even stop calling him by Baek-Hyeon so often. “That’s good, right? It means we can start putting this whole thing behind us.”

“It would be nice if things worked that way, Soyeon-ssi but the public is a fickle thing. They may not see this news in a positive light.”

Cheon Da-nim raised his hand up. “I had some ideas on that.”

The CEO reclined in his seat, motioning to the manager with his left hand. “Go on.”

“Perhaps we can frame it as a time of privacy. Since we have confirmed that this story is true, we will say that Soyeon-ssi is taking some time off to reconnect with her long-lost brother. That way, most of the more certifiable sources will steer clear out of respect and anticipation for her return will be more paramount.”

“And the concert?” he pressed.

“A delay of a week or two, just so we can keep the hype going.” he explained.

‘ _That’ll go over well with the others._ ’ Soyeon thought to herself. It would mean delaying Shuhua’s single as well. She was dreading relaying the news.

Gyeong Youngsoo forged ahead. “What about the less certifiable ones?”

“Well, they can’t spin a romance once the document is released. And as long as Soyeon looks as if she splits her time between work and family, there’ll be no story to mine for. A win-win for everyone involved.”

‘ _Where was this level of critical thinking hiding? At least he’s trying to fix his screw-up._ ’

Youngsoo addressed the elephant in the room. “And her parents? How do we spin their… demise?” Soyeon suppressed an urge to glare at him.

Cheon Da-nim paused, glancing over to Soyeon apologetically before he resumed speaking. “If Dispatch finds out, we can simply state the truth. The time of privacy is for Soyeon-ssi to grieve as well. Nobody is going to spin a story with a tragedy like this. Anyone who does will be taking a huge credibility hit, from us and the public.”

“It shouldn’t even happen in the first place... but I get your point.” Soyeon sighed, her tone sharp and cutting. Her parents becoming part of her media theater didn’t sit well with her.

Gyeong Youngsoo nodded curtly. The proposal wouldn’t stop the coverage, but at least whatever press was going to be mined from this would be on the more positive side, with anything negative remaining firmly in the realm of conspiracy, less likely to affect business as a whole. He rose to his feet, thinking the meeting had been adjourned.

Soyeon spoke up as he reached for the door handle. “If at all possible Youngsoo-nim, could we avoid using Baek-Hyeon for any publicity stunts?”

Youngsoo fixed her with a curious look, as if to ask, ‘ _Why?_ ’

“He’s not like us. He didn’t choose this kind of life, not like I did. I’d rather let him live a normal life... as ironic as that sounds.” Soyeon said, looking towards Youngsoo with a look of conviction. She loved the spotlight, loved the feeling of her music touching people across the globe. What she knew of Baek-Hyeon was the complete opposite of her, a nervous teenager who had little love for public attention and is content with making lifelong friends of the few people he lets in.

‘ _Pushing him into this life would rend him of his best qualities._ ’ she thought, remembering the promise she had made.

“He may not have a choice. Once we release this document to fan the flames, Dispatch is going to have a field day trying to secure an interview with him. And we need to prep him for that possibility, before he goes off the cuff.” Cheon Da-nim shook the DNA test document to emphasise his point.

“I know. I don’t believe we can get out of it entirely, but if we can minimise it, I would appreciate it.” Soyeon argued back.

“We’ll see, Soyeon-ssi. For now, there’s still work to be done. Just because the concert’s been pushed back doesn’t mean you get to slack off.” The CEO forewarned bluntly. Soyeon nodded, bowing low beside Cheon Da-nim as he exited the meeting room. She hoped that Gyeong Youngsoo would listen to reason. Perhaps performing exceptionally well in the concert or making sure Shuhua’s single was a hit would soothe things over.

Baek-Hyeon winced, feeling the sting of the plaster’s alcohol as he pressed it gently against his bruised cheek. He glanced at the mirror, tapping the plaster tenderly. He had managed to pass off the bruise on his cheek as an accident when Soyeon asked, brushing off her concern with a smile as he regaled her with what little of the day he actually enjoyed. He winces again when his hand reaches down to his stomach.

He had asked for an explanation in between the beatings, even as he weakly attempted to defend himself from the onslaught. He leaned his back against the wall, biting back his urge to scream out in pain.

“I didn’t do anything to you… I didn’t even know you.”

The boy sneered, leaning down to look at him face to face. “You expect me to believe that the miraculous little brother of an idol didn’t get preferential treatment? Or that she didn’t pay for your tuition?”

“She… She didn’t do anything. I… I got in on my own.” He saw the bully wind up another swing, feeling the wind get knocked out of him as the blow connected with his stomach again. His eyes squinted in pain, barely able to focus as the boy spoke again.

“Liar! You just thought you could usurp my position? Thought having an idol for a sister made you special?” The calm tone it was delivered in scared him even more.

Baek-Hyeon wheezed out his defense, clutching his stomach again. “I just… wanted to go to school and... learn. That’s it… I swear....”

The boy shook his head, a sigh escaping his mouth as he stood back up. “Hit him again. See if it teaches him who's the top dog around here.”

The lanky teenager paused at the doorway. “Oh, and my name’s Pyeon Chung-Ae for your reference. Remember that if you ever dare try to report me to the principal. Or your sister for that matter.” Chung-Ae’s sneer was the last thing Baek-Hyeon remembered, right before a leg kicked into his own, drawing yet another howl of pain from the teenager.

The way he had said it terrified him. The bastard had to have some sort of contingency for a statement like that to hold weight. His concern laid with his sister, not wanting to drag her into his mess. Baek-Hyeon looked at the mirror with firm resolve of his own. He would endure, see if there was another way that didn’t involve or inform Soyeon.

The rapping of a fist on the door startled him from his thoughts. With a grunt, he rose to his feet, covered his bandages and opened the door. To his surprise, Miyeon and Yuqi were standing in the doorway, with Yuqi clutching packs of beer in her hands.

“Oh, Miyeon-ssi, Yuqi-ssi.” His eyes blinked in confusion.

Yuqi smiled, waving her hand with wild abandon. “Hey, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. We were just in the neighbourhood and thought we’d drop by!”

Baek-Hyeon rolled his eyes at Yuqi before addressing Miyeon. “Does that line always work with the others?”

Miyeon mimicked him, with Yuqi donning a playful, yet hurt expression for the both of them. “No… but it doesn’t stop her from trying.”

The pain in his stomach flares. Baek-Hyeon lets his hand grip the door frame a little harder to guard his expression. “So… why did you stop by?”

“Well, it’s been a while since we hung out. I thought we’d see how you’re doing. Plus your place isn’t hooked up with cameras… yet and we kinda bought a little too much beer.” Yuqi spilled the beans rather quickly.

He looked outside, cognizant of potential hidden cameras or sneaky paparazzi. “You sure this is a good idea? Won’t people talk?”

Yuqi casually brushed off his concerns. “Dispatch will talk regardless of the facts. They’ve seen us all talking to one another. If they haven’t come up with something by now, then something has gone wrong.” 

‘ _Well, can’t argue with that._ ’ he considered as he stepped aside to let them in, closing the door behind them. Yuqi was quick to set down the beer packs in the kitchen, yanking two for her and Miyeon to get the party started.

“So how’s the practice going? All set for the concert?”

Miyeon smiled. “It’s been going well. We’ve been mostly practicing some new dance routines and we have some pre-recording to do beforehand.”

The pain flared up again. This time, there was no hiding his expression from the two idols. “Are you okay, Baek-Hyeon-ssi? You seem a little out of sorts.” Miyeon asked, causing the teenager to briefly panic.

‘ _Probably should come up with something. If they think I’m sick, it should mask my pain._ ’

Baek-Hyeon’s hand pressed against his stomach. “Sorry, I’ve been feeling a little gassy today. Must have been something I ate.” The two idols looked at each other, before Yuqi rose to make a quick trip to the pharmacy.

He quickly shook his hand at her. “I’ll run down to the pharmacy later, Yuqi-ssi. It’s nothing major.”

“If it does get worse, just let us know, okay?” Miyeon pressed her hand against Baek-Hyeon, the teenager gulping once before nodding curtly. The tense air lingered momentarily, only broken by Yuqi swinging a newly opened bottle of beer in front of both of them.

“Okay, now we really need to lighten the mood!” she exclaimed, handing Miyeon the freshly opened bottle and prepping to open another bottle for herself all while Baek-Hyeon nervously sipped on his cup of water, praying that the two idols have not noticed anything else.

When Soyeon received a call from Baek-Hyeon at 8PM, she was not expecting to hear raucous laughter in the background, nor was she expecting that to be followed up by the unmistakable sounds of her fellow members and an awkward plea from her namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ) to come over if she could. Her practice was forgotten in a flash, racing out of the agency building and hailing a cab in the span of a couple of minutes.

She was almost certainly not expecting to come in and see Baek-Hyeon flashing her a look of concern and both Miyeon and Yuqi sprawled out on the floor, covered in blankets and snoring loudly in the echo chamber that was their living room. Several beer bottles lay haphazardly on the table, with one curled around Miyeon’s fingers.

“What happened?” Soyeon asked, despite knowing the answer as plain as day.

“They wanted to play a drinking game.” He saw Soyeon shoot him a glare. “I didn’t drink of course. All I had was water.” he quickly raised his hands in defence.

Yuqi’s head rose up, eyes unfocused as she saw Soyeon standing over her. “Unni, come… hic… join… us. We… almost… hic... have him…” she spoke haltingly, before her head plopped back down on the floor. Baek-Hyeon looked over to Miyeon, who was equally out of sorts.

“Well, after the first 3 shots, it was kinda easy to keep winning.”

Soyeon sighed, rubbing her temple as her eyes glanced over her drunk team members. “Cheon Da-nim is going to have a field day with them if they show up at the dorm like this.”

“They could stay in your old room for the night.” Baek-Hyeon offered, head nodding towards her empty room, the door still ajar. She nodded, rising to her feet to leave the house herself. She stopped, realising the golden opportunity she had to spend a little more quality time with her brother.

‘ _And take care of my friends, of course._ ’ she half-heartedly attempted to convince herself of the fact.

“You know what? I think I’d better stay here as well, in case something happens. I’ll sleep with them.” Soyeon replied, throwing off her jacket and hanging it by the door. Baek-Hyeon wasn’t about to argue. It wasn’t his room to begin with, after all.

She clapped her hands and started rubbing them with a hint of vigour. “Okay. Let’s do this before they start drooling all over the floor.”

“I’m… not drooling… Soyeon-ah… Why are there… so many of… you?” Miyeon’s slurry voice blurted out, breaking into drunken laughter. Yuqi broke into her own riotous laughter, barely able to muster any coordination to point to Miyeon.

“I guess you get Miyeon-ssi, I get Yuqi-ssi?”

“You go ahead first. I need to call Cheon Da-nim, let him know they’re sleeping here for the night.” Soyeon walked away, already pulling out her phone even as Baek-Hyeon stared at her in exasperation. With another sigh, he started to tug on Yuqi’s leg, even as the drunk idol flailed her arms at him in a vain attempt to stop him.

Meanwhile, Soojin watched the sky as the night dragged on, the darkening horizon giving way to stars as the sun dipped over the horizon. The small conference room was nice, quiet and far out of the way that most people generally don’t come in unless they need something. A perfect place for her to work on her single.

She had raised her head only once, seeing Soyeon leave the building with one hand clasped around her phone. ‘ _Probably checking in with Baek-Hyeon._ ’ she thought, her attention returning to the notebook. She had been in a rut for the past hour since dance practice was over, half written phrases scattered across the pages and titles underlined or crossed out. Soojin almost wanted to come up with the dance first, hoping her acumen in that aspect would break her writer’s block.

“Hey, unni.”

Soojin glanced up, lidded eyes blinking rapidly as she turned to see a tired Shuhua walk into the conference room. “Oh, I didn’t see you come in, Shuhua-ah.”

“Busy with something?” Shuhua asked.

Soojin sighed, her back leaned into the sofa. “Trying to be.”

She felt Shuhua lean over to glance at her handiwork. “Looks like you’re trying to work on a single of your own.”

“Trying being the word of the day.” she said with a self-effacing chuckle.

Soojin paused, the rhythmic tapping of her pen against the book ceasing in kind. “You know, I could use some help. If you aren’t too busy?”

“I’m happy to help, but shouldn’t you be asking Soyeon-ah? Considering she’s been writing out our songs, she’d be more qualified than me.”

“She has a lot on her plate right now with her ‘ _brother_ ’. I doubt worrying her about my solo debut is a good idea, not when she already has your new single to handle as well.” She threw up air quotes as she mentioned Baek-Hyeon.

Shuhua’s brow raised a hair higher. “Come on, are you still on about that? I had my suspicions too, but you saw the results. Baek-Hyeon really is who he says he is.”

“I know that. I just… I just don’t like how convenient this all seems.”

“All we can do is be there for her if that happens. Though if he wanted something from her, he would have already pounced by now.” Shuhua shrugged. Soojin could only nod in agreement. Soojin tapped her pen against the book a couple more times, still struggling to come up with something.

Shuhua stepped towards the sofa, unable to stay inactive. “Alright, scoot over. Let me see what you have.”

She looked up at her, even as she felt Shuhua push her to the other side of the couch. “Just like that?”

Shuhua smiled knowingly. “We’re group members. More importantly, we’re friends. What else do I need?”

She flipped through the pages one by one, her disbelief growing in tandem. Eventually, she stopped and looked at Soojin with a smirk. “You really didn’t get far, did you, unni?”

Soojin playfully punched Shuhua’s shoulder. “Don’t remind me, please...” Shuhua chuckled as she leaned into the sofa, racking her own brain for concepts and lyrics. She still remembers the long nights on her own, fruitlessly trying to mine her brain for that killer concept, the killing part, everything. She remembers Soojin’s assistance, coaching her through the dance routine and bringing her a cold can of coffee on those longer nights. Like it or not, she felt Soojin was owed a single of her own...


	7. Commiseration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minnie invites Baek-Hyeon to a press junket in place of Soyeon. Soyeon and Miyeon try seeking an answer to the hit-and-run incident. Yuqi and Shuhua brainstorm ideas for Soojin’s single. Soojin confronts Baek-Hyeon about his intentions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Soyeon knew what she was going to do was a little risky, but the thought of not addressing it sooner was gnawing at her. She was supposed to be practicing for the concert coming up in two weeks but the fact that the inquiry into their parents’ hit-and-run had not progressed was disturbing her. With Baek-Hyeon busy with school now, she felt that it was fair to do something right by them.

Still, she dreaded the phone call she was about to make. The ring felt more drawn out than usual, even though the sound only lasted all of three seconds before it connected.

She put on her best sweet and sugary voice as the ringtone died out and ambient sounds of a production crew scrambling to set-up the stage echoed in the background. “Hi, Cheon Da-nim. Sorry to call on such short notice.”

His voice was laced with a bit of static. “No problem, Soyeon-ssi? What’s up?”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend the interview this evening.”

“What’s so urgent that you need to bail on the interview like this?” he asked in audible annoyance.

Soyeon tried to avoid the explanation. “It’s a personal matter.”

He pressed further. “I need more than that, Soyeon-ssi. Youngsoo-nim is not going to be happy about this.”

“Sigh… My parents’ will is being read today. Since I’m the new head of household as far as my family is concerned, I need to be there for the reading. That’s what you can say I’m doing.” Soyeon said in an almost matter-of-fact tone. That quickly drew alarm bells from the manager.

“Wait… what the…”

She quickly hung up, barely letting Cheon Da-nim respond back to her incredibly blatant admission. She’d deal with the fallout later. Miyeon looked at her quizzically for a brief moment, but shrugging on the next. This wasn’t the first time they had lied to their manager after all. The girls weren’t going to get to eat all that good food if they had flaps for mouths.

“Thanks for coming, unni.”

“Of course. Though… shouldn’t Baek-Hyeon-ssi be here?” she asked.

Soyeon stared up at the sign above the police station entrance, a heavy sigh escaping her. “By the time he finishes school, it’ll be too late in the day. And I wanted to see what I could find out on my own.” Her head tilted back to the doors. ‘ _Now or never..._ ’ she told herself, taking a tentative first step into the station, Miyeon following close behind.

The week was almost over, a blessing in disguise for the teenage Baek-Hyeon as he exited the school grounds ahead of most of his peers. He had been granted some form of reprieve from Chung-Ae’s wrath, limited as it was to sneers and barbs when no authority figures were around. Some students even had the bravery to start talking with him again, something he welcomed. Still, it never hurt to beat the rush of students heading home in case something happened.

His pocket vibrated. Someone was calling him at this hour? He thought Soyeon was calling to cancel their plans for tonight. When he switched on the phone, he was confused to see Minnie’s name pop up.

“Hello?” he answered.

A relieved voice fired back. “Baek-Hyeon-ssi. Thank goodness I was able to reach you.”

“I just finished with school. Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing like that. We’ve hit a little snag with a live interview me and Soyeon were supposed to have. We were hoping you could help fill Soyeon’s place.” Her request took him by surprise, his mouth moving but making no sound. Was she really asking him to put himself before cameras in front of the whole nation?

“Baek-Hyeon?” Minnie’s voice shook him out of his stupor.

“Sorry, I think I misheard you. You want me… to be on live TV?” he asked, rubbing his earlobe to clear whatever blockage there was.

“Yes. I’m not joking, either.” she quickly appended, keenly aware of Baek-Hyeon’s tone of voice.

“Did your manager actually agree to that?!” his voice rose an octave higher.

A bemused voice joined the call, startling the teenager and drawing the eyes of several of his peers. “I’m right here, Baek-Hyeon-ssi.”

Baek-Hyeon quickly cleared his throat. “Sorry, sir. I just find it hard to believe that”

“Look, Soyeon-ssi was suddenly occupied at the last minute. God knows why. She took Miyeon-ssi with her. Soojin-ssi is busy with her own personal thing and Yuqi-ssi and Shuhua-ssi are practicing for the concert, so I’m turning to you. Dispatch would love nothing more than to hear from the family that appeared out of nowhere.” he explained in detail, his annoyance showing through when Soyeon’s name was mentioned.

Baek-Hyeon stammered, still unsure about the offer. “Um, I… I guess I can…”

Cheon Da-nim cut him off, taking his words as implicit approval. “Great! The taping is in two hours at the KBS station. I’ll send you the address.”

“I..” he started, the continuous beep of a disconnected call greeting him back. His hand fell to his side, his head spinning to stare at the city skylines.

“Sigh… This is a bad idea…” he muttered under his own breath, even as his hand rose high to hail a cab.

Once he had arrived at the station and left his name at the receptionist desk, Baek-Hyeon was hurriedly rushed through the entire process. Makeup to pretty up his plain face, a hurried explanation from a producer regarding etiquette on live TV, cameras trailing him at every step of the process. By the time he was escorted to the set alongside Minnie, his head was spinning from all the knowledge dumped on him.

Minnie leaned over, patting his shoulder with a knowing look. “It’ll pass. We all got butterflies when we debuted.”

“How does this work exactly? They ask some questions, we fire back some answers?” he asked, fumbling with the microphone. The equipment felt invasive, like a bug resting on his chest that he couldn’t swat.

“More or less. Cheon Da-nim will cue you if he thinks the answer is going off base. Since this is going to be live, it’ll be a little harder to do an edit so try not to go too… off base.” Minnie emphasised. Her gaze turned to the manager, sitting in a chair and giving the both of them a thumbs up. Baek-Hyeon followed her, the sight of Cheon Da-nim more or less hovering over his every word sending a jolt of nervous energy through him.

“No pressure, then. Just what I needed to hear…” he couldn’t help but chuckle nervously.

It didn’t help when the presenter came on stage and greeted the both of them, running them through the questions one by one. The man seemed nice, always willing to answer questions whenever they were broached. Even the interview questions were stock standard, fairly average in most regards aside from the sensationalised way it was going to be presented. With that, the trio took their positions and watched as the cameras started rolling on them.

“Hello and welcome to a special edition of Entertainment Weekly! This evening, we have (G)-IDLE’s Minnie in the studio, along with a very special first interview with Hak Baek Hyeon, the miracle brother of (G)-IDLE’s Soyeon!” The presenter threw his arms to Minnie and Baek-Hyeon, both clapping in tune with the applause track.

“Welcome to the studio, Baek-Hyeon.” he motioned to the teenager, the cameras swivelling to him in unison.

He bowed low to the presenter. “Thank you for having me.”

The presenter wasted no time and dived in. “So, it must be exciting to be suddenly related to a hit pop idol! Your life must be very interesting nowadays!”

“I don’t think it’s changed my life that much. I imagine I’m like any other sibling with a famous family member. We’re just living our lives, supporting them where we can.”

“But not every sibling has a story such as yours, certainly not this kind of reunion.”

They paused to let a clip of the concert play out. The whole scene looked like something out of a drama from the sidelines, especially when the swarm of people started crowding around him to pester him with questions. Baek-Hyeon kept his eyes away from the screen, not wanting to relive the moment in such vivid detail.

“Was that planned?” the presenter asked as soon as the clip had run its course.

Baek-Hyeon quickly shook his head. “No, not really. It was… a spur of the moment.”

“How did you find out about Soyeon-ssi potentially being your nuna?” The presenter asked.

“It was… a personal item of ours. I saw her wearing it during one of your interviews. Because it was… unique, I presumed that her possession of it was proof of her identity.” Baek-Hyeon struggled to calm his nerves and keep info regarding the pendant under wraps, even if the majority of Neverland were keenly aware of its existence from the concert footage.

“And how is your relationship with your nuna now?” Minnie inwardly worried as she looked at Baek-Hyeon. This was a potential landmine of a question.

He took a moment to think it through. “I won’t lie. It has been rather rocky to jump into a family relationship feet first. And we may as well be strangers for as much as we know about each other’s lives. But we’re trying to take it slow... day by day.” his breath hitched in uncertainty at the last sentence.

The presenter’s attention spun to Minnie. “Minnie-ssi, how is the rest of (G)-IDLE handling this? I imagine your team dynamic has been thrown into flux by this development.”

“Not really. Like Baek-Hyeon-ssi mentioned, it has certainly thrown us for a loop but we are doing our best to take it one day at a time. It is a strange time for Soyeon-ah, so we want to do our best to support her as fellow members and as friends.” Unlike him, Minnie’s response was as good as they come. Her tone barely wavered, retaining the same optimistic and kind voice throughout.

“Your thoughts, Baek-Hyeon?”

Another pause. “I’ve said this to Soyeon and I’ll say it to Minnie… and the rest of (G)-IDLE, if you’re tuning in. I will always be grateful for being there for my nuna when I couldn’t be, grateful that you were her friends in what I imagine were hard times for all of you. I’ll work hard to earn your trust and repay the debt I owe all of you.”

“Very well said, Baek-Hyeon. But I digress, let us speak about your upcoming concert, Minnie-ssi.” the presenter mercifully spun the conversation over to something that had nothing to do with him. Feeling the camera’s gaze move to Minnie, Baek-Hyeon clutched his chest, the rhythmic thump of his heart moving in tandem with his rapid, yet relatively silent breathing.

The detective on call for walk-ins was a little peeved. Someone had decided to waste the last of the good coffee beans, leaving most of the station itching for a decent and cheap cup of caffeine to get them through the day. That annoyance made handling his job a little more difficult. Still, he didn’t expect that someone would come in at this hour, especially not two young women.

“So, what can I do for you two today?” he said, rubbing his decaffeinated eyes.

Soyeon piped up. “I was hoping to inquire about a hit-and-run case from two months ago.”

‘ _That was oddly specific..._ ’ he pondered. “Um, do you have their names?”

“Hak Jin-Sang and Jeon Sang Hee.” Soyeon said.

He recognised the names after a minute of thought. The detective looked up at the two young women. This wasn’t who he was expecting to inquire about this case, he thought to himself as he slowly pulled the manila file and rifled through its contents.

“Oh…Did he send you?” he asked, his eyebrow raised slightly higher as the file was set to one side.

She looked to Miyeon, receiving only a shaking head and a shrug of her shoulders. She turned back to face the detective. “I’m sorry?”

He articulated each word as clearly as possible. “Hak Baek-Hyeon. Was he the one who sent you?”

“He’s…” Soyeon began, the detective’s throaty sigh cutting her off as he leaned forward, hands clasped around each other.

“Look, I will tell you the same thing I told him. We looked into it as best as we can, but with the cases we have, we can’t put any more resources into a case with no leads.” he rubbed his temple. This case had been an annoyance for the better part of an amount. Every two or three days, the teenager had badgered them about the status of the case. Even when they told him repeatedly that they had no leads and that getting his hopes would not be wise, still he came to pester them three times a week.

She felt a nerve twitch just above her eye, her voice raising just a hair higher. “So no-one is looking into it?!”

The detective looked at her with an annoyed stare. “What do you think we run here, a charity?!”

“Soyeon-ah… don’t...” Miyeon weakly held onto Soyeon’s shoulder, unable to stop the enraged idol from slamming her hands down on the table. If all eyes weren’t on her before, they certainly were now, all curious as to who was causing such a ruckus.

“You’re supposed to look into this! It’s your job! There isn’t even any doubt as to what happened!”

The detective rose from his seat, ready to defend himself. “And we did! But nothing turned up! Believe me, we tried!”

Soyeon countered, an accusatory finger wagging in the detective’s face. “Then look harder! If you even gave a…”

Miyeon quickly interceded, hyper-aware of the attention they were getting. “Soyeon, stop! This isn’t going to help.”

The detective slumped back in his chair, resolved to put the final nail into the inquiries. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened to his parents. Believe me... but from my standpoint, we have homicides to look into, more violent crimes that need more attention than a single hit-and-run. If there were leads to be found, they’re long gone now.”

Soyeon’s fists shook with uncontrollable rage. Images of her knocking the daylights out of the detective flashed before her eyes, the temptation to show the detective how well she could throw down preying on her. Cognisant of Miyeon’s hand on her shoulder, she settled for a threatening glare instead. “Those were my parents too! They deserved better than this. Better than being... forgotten or ignored!”

The detective watched in dumbfounded confusion as the young woman marched away in a huff, her friend giving an apologetic nod before following behind her in a hurry. He leaned back in his chair, a frown etched across his forehead. His eyes glazed over the file, even as her final comment played over and over in his head.

‘ _Was that…?_ ’ he paused, turning to look at the main door. Recognition began to dawn on him, as did several more of his more savvy compatriots. Had that idol from the news really come all this way for a hit-and-run case? His attention turned to the TV on his partner’s desk. There he was, Hak Baek-Hyeon live on the air, articulate and blunt as ever.

Outside, Miyeon frantically chased after the fleeing Soyeon, finally catching up to her as she held onto the open door of their taxi, her fingers furiously typing out a text on her phone. She quickly spied the CEO’s number at the top, stopping her fellow member before she could hit send. Wrestling control for it proved more of a challenge.

“Soyeon? Soyeon, stop! Calling Youngsoo-nim is not going to help.” Miyeon tried to grab the phone from her leader.

Soyeon did her best to keep her phone at arm’s length. “It’ll be better than sitting here and doing nothing, Miyeon!” she let the honorific slip.

“And going into this with an angry head will be akin to doing nothing. We’ll figure something out. Just not this.” Miyeon said, successfully grabbing the phone out of her hand and stuffing it into her pocket before Soyeon could try again.

Soyeon looked livid at the suggestion. She was asking her to let the detective’s casual dismissal of her parents’ case wash over her. Still, she took a deep breath, feeling the rage subside. Not entirely, but enough that she could feel her fingers unclench themselves. “I’m calm… I’m calm.” she said through gritted teeth, trying not to vent her anger on her fellow member.

‘ _I’ll take it._ ’ she said, wrapping an arm around Soyeon. The idol resisted at first, but allowed her fellow member’s firm grip to guide her away from the police station. 

“Come on, let’s get something to eat. Maybe it’ll help.” she offered, sparing only a single glance at the station before she turned her back to it. She knew Soyeon well enough, but her outburst was startling to some extent. Whether compounded by guilt or compassion, Miyeon dared not know.

Back at the small conference room in the agency building, Shuhua was scribbling notes of her against the whiteboard while Yuqi sat cross legged on the sofa. Stuck in a creative rut herself, Shuhua thought it would be best to get some fresh eyes on the problem that was Soojin’s single. Sadly, her chosen help was not much better, sipping on a cup of cold coffee in her hand.

“Ughh…. This is hard…” 

Shuhua bit her lip, the subtle tick of the wall clock aggravating her frustration. “Come on. Soojin is going to be back in a couple of hours. We need to have something for her to look at.”

“Ummm… How about a Joseon concept?” Yuqi threw out, her mind racing to imagine her fellow member in period clothing.

Shuhua shook her head. “Nope. Too old-fashioned. Clashes with her image.”

“Superhero concept?”

Another dismissal by Shuhua, though the idea was certainly novel. “Too out there. Maybe for a later release.”

“Then a ballad?” Usually the domain of more experienced singers, but it would certainly be an eye opener of a debut single.

“She wants something to dance to, so probably not.” Shuhua again shook her head.

Yuqi tossed her hands up in a fit of frustration. “Oh, come on! If you’re going to shoot down my ideas, you try coming up with one!”

“Sexy concept?” At that, it was hard for Yuqi to resist facepalming in front of her. ‘ _That was her great idea?_ ’

“So, a concept that has been done half to death?” her tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

“Okay, I ran short of ideas like 30 minutes ago, Yuqi-ssi.” Shuhua admitted defeat, plopping down next to Yuqi on the sofa.

Yuqi started to ramble, hands flapping around frantically. “Okay, okay, okay! This shouldn’t be so hard. We’ve known Soojin-ah for years! We should know... almost everything about her! There must be something that fits her wheelhouse...”

She snapped her fingers. “A drunk concept?”

Shuhua couldn’t help but throw a jab at her fellow member’s drunken excursion. When Soyeon dragged the hungover Yuqi and Miyeon to practice a few days ago, the other members could not help but split their sides in laughter. It took a bit of convincing for Baek-Hyeon to join in on the laughter, much to the embarrassment of the two members. “For your single maybe.”

The young member looked at Shuhua with a mortified visage. “That was one time! And Miyeon got drunk too!”

“Otherworldly, spooky concept?” Shuhua felt the lightbulb go off in her head.

“Hmm, that sounds like it could work. Soojin would be able to come up with a unique dance for it and it’s not so overly done that it could find its niche.” Yuqi said, mind racing with more exact details. ‘ _Those could be filled in once…_ ’ she stopped, realising why Shuhua had risen from her seat a moment ago.

“That just leaves us with…” Shuhua tapped on the word lyrics, circled with large red swirls around it. Yuqi let out an almighty groan, collapsing back onto the couch. It was like leaping from one boiling pot to the other.

“Sigh… we’re going to be in here for a while…” she said, even as she watched Shuhua nod in reluctant unison. She was almost certainly going to apologise to Soyeon once she got back...

Soojin wasn’t one to beat around the bush, especially with people she didn’t fully trust. She had stepped out of her brainstorming session with Shuhua to grab some dinner for them, thinking nothing of it. As she was paying the cashier, her eyes quickly glanced up to the overhead television, widening as she saw Minnie and Baek-Hyeon speaking candidly on camera. Baek-Hyeon, the self professed camera shy person? She asked the cashier to send the food to the agency, hurrying out of the convenience store and hailing a cab to head to the broadcast station.

Minutes later, she was marching inside of the building, seeing the crew rush to pack up the stage for the day and head for a well-deserved dinner. Some were excitedly chatting about the interview and gossiping about it, more fodder for the tabloid machine. Pushing past them, she found the standby room in seconds flat, the small note noting Minnie’s name plastered on the front as she pushed the door open.

Minnie turned to see who had entered the room. “Oh, Soojin-ssi. I didn’t realize you were here.”

“Hi, Soojin-ssi.” Baek-Hyeon smiled, waving to the idol. He sat cross-legged on the sofa, having spent a good chunk of time talking to Minnie regarding his performance during the interview. From the thumbs up he got from her to the grunt of approval Cheon Da-nim gave him, he was relieved to know he hadn’t truly screwed it up.

Soojin stepped inside, looking at Baek-Hyeon intently. “I saw your interview. Handled yourself well, from the sound of things.”

“Thanks. It was certainly nerve wracking but I had a lot of help.” He said, twiddling his thumbs. Minnie smiled at his comment, feeling very much appreciated. 

Soojin’s brows furrowed down, but nodded all the same. “Could I speak to Baek-Hyeon alone?”

“Uh, why?” he answered. This was certainly coming out of left field. Soojin did not answer back.

Minnie’s eyes darted between the both of them, begging to be told what in the world was going on. Soojin turned to her, her eyes practically pleading for her to leave them for now. Wordlessly, Minnie nodded, choosing to step out of the room and take a long break in the van before they were due to head back. Soojin took a seat on the sofa opposite Baek-Hyeon.

“If it’s about the interview, it was really a last minute thing…” Soojin cut his sentence short.

“What are your intentions for Soyeon-ah?”

His eyes widened, not expecting the question. “Pardon me?”

She crossed her arms, looking intently back at him. “You heard me. You just decided to go on live television, when you told everyone you weren’t one for the spotlight?”

“Cheon Da-nim asked.”

She did not relent. “You could have said no. So I ask again, what are your intentions?”

“Nothing insidious, I assure you. Soyeon wasn’t here, so I thought it would help her out.”

Soojin motioned to him again. “Explain it to me then. Why go through all this trouble for her? You’ve known her only for the better part of a month. You said it yourself. She’s a stranger to you.”

He sighed, taking a long pause before answering. “I was a very lonely kid. Not a lot of friends, barely any social skills to speak of. Even my parents shared that with me, that feeling of being alone even amidst a crowd. I think you know why.” he stopped to take a deep breath. Soojin merely nodded in understanding.

“That hole was... very real for us. For them most of all. So much so that I felt like the forgotten child, like they didn’t care enough for the kid they still had. I remember many babysitters, many family friends who took care of me while they went searching for her. Even when I was older and they finally explained why, that feeling never went away. But I stuck by them, because they were the only people I felt… comfortable around. Not the best word to describe it, but…” he stopped himself, not wanting to dig himself a larger hole.

Soojin interjected. “So you’re looking for someone else to latch onto?”

He rubbed his neck. “I suppose that explanation is not... entirely incorrect. Can I carry on?” 

“When I... lost them, I didn’t know what to do. I saw a lot of those same people, the ones who had flitted in and out of my life. They offered to help me a lot of times, but it felt wrong to accept it. Like I was going to pull them into the same malaise we had been stuck in for so long. When I saw your group interview and nuna was wearing that pendant, I leapt at it. I was going to grant their last wish, free them of their last regret. But if I’m honest, it was keeping me sane. That I still had someone I could care about.”

She saw him trail off, the implication loud and clear. He cared enough about his nuna to go against his own fears to help her out, if his actions today demonstrated. And if he wasn’t lying in his speech, it seemed he was seeking some much needed companionship, which he apparently lacked. It explained his eagerness to engage with them, even when he felt awkward and uncomfortable around them in more public settings.

He began speaking again, noting her silence. “I promise you, I’m not trying to hurt her on purpose. I have no intention to.”

Soojin caught his loophole. “But you could. On accident.”

Baek-Hyeon paused, deep in thought for a moment before he responded. “That’s a relationship, right? Sometimes the hurt is unavoidable. I’m not promising something I have no control over.”

It was enough. Soojin could tell he was sincere at least in his conviction. “I’ll hold you to that.” Soojin said, before letting out a relieved sigh. “I’m sorry about my behaviour.”

“It’s okay. I understand why you feel this way. When one is threatened, the pack is often ready to protect them when danger seems afoot.” he said. Soojin felt herself smirk. Had he really ended a moving speech on a pun? The knowing wiggle of his own brows and the quick break into a warm smile confirmed Soojin’s hunch.

“You made a song called Lion. I couldn’t resist.”

“Are you always this articulate?” she asked, her posture relaxing a little.

He glanced down at his feet, a hint of discomfort at the notion. “I like stories. They always felt like a comfort to me, more so in this last month. Sometimes flowery language just feels… more inviting than trying to speak in prose.”

Soojin kept quiet, looking at Baek-Hyeon with an understanding look. He had answered her concerns regarding him, at least. Yet Soojin felt something was off about his full blown admission. Not that it was a lie, far from it. Rather, it was the feeling that this part of him was something he wasn’t willing to share with Soyeon. For what reason she didn’t know, only that his next words were easy to guess.

He looked up, a weak smile on his face. “Could you please not tell nuna about all this? I don’t want her to worry about me, not when she has a lot more important things to worry about...”

He had promised he would never hurt her purposely… but Soojin had a feeling his secrecy may do so anyway...


	8. Suffering Hann (Alone)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon’s public appearance causes further problems for him at school. Soojin puts her focus into her single, with aid from Minnie. Soyeon contemplates an alternative fate. Yuqi and Shuhua assess new trainees with Cheon Da-nim. Miyeon uncovers Baek-Hyeon’s secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Baek-Hyeon peeked in between his fingers, unable to glance at the phone in Minnie’s hand. The sunrise peaked through the windows of the agency building, illuminating the idols and the high-schooler in a warm glow. With the school off for the morning due to an unexpected bug infestation, he had been invited to watch the recording with the others. Admittedly, he had gotten the urge to go on SNS and look it up on the ride home but exhaustion quickly changed those priorities to a quick shower and plopping down for a trip to dreamland.

“I can’t look.” he mumbled, covering his eyes again. The girls surrounded the phone, with Minnie scrolling through the video comments at a rapid pace.

“Huh... ” Minnie’s voice seemed more curious than anything else. Yuqi soon followed in a similar tone.

He peeked from in between his fingers. “What? Is it bad?”

Minnie rolled her eyes at him. “Calm down, Baek-Hyeon. Looks pretty supportive to me.” She pointed to the top comments. Sure enough, most of them were of the gentler kind. Welcoming, inviting, joyful and some that were… a little too suggestive for his liking. There were of course the usual suspects of hate comments, angry vitriol and the like but certainly nothing that was extreme by the standards he had always heard about.

“Congrats, Baek-Hyeon! You’re famous now!” Yuqi smirked, much to Baek-Hyeon’s consternation. Shuhua and Minnie were quick to follow Yuqi’s direction, playfully mocking him as Miyeon watched on. Soojin to her credit had already left the gathering, heading to the small conference room to continue working on her single.

He looked around, expecting Soyeon to come in. Then he remembered that she was stuck in the recording studio across town, busy handling Shuhua’s single arrangement. It was why Shuhua was less than attentive earlier, he supposed. She had been carrying her phone around with a sense of importance, like she was holding onto a valuable vase and trying not to drop it. Every time it rang, the young idol answered in a hurry, calmly articulating instructions from time to time. Baek-Hyeon shot a thumbs up to her as he left for school, hoping that whatever she was working on would turn out great. She barely looked up from her phone, not even noticing that the young teenager had left.

The exhaustion was slowly getting to Soyeon, struggling to keep herself awake at times. Shuhua’s song was taking longer than she cared to admit, not to mention the upcoming concert in a week and change. Five minutes, she had told herself. Five minutes to take a breather. Then she heard someone knock at the door.

‘ _Who’s coming in? I thought Cheon Da-nim booked this studio for the day._ ’

“Soyeon?” She heard the voice call her. She shook awake, raising her head from her desk. Her eyes scanned the room, instantly feeling like something was off. The room seemed cleaner, more modern than before. The sheets were a different colour and pattern, the desk was lined with notes and some recording equipment from the studio. Her phone was blaring in the background, playing the new album from one of her fellow peers.

‘ _Wasn’t I doing a recording session? Why am I back in the house?_ ’

“Ttanim ( _daughter_ )?” An elderly woman stepped into the frame of her door. A familiar woman. Soyeon looked down at her half of the pendant. An exact match.

“Y… Yes, eomeonim ( _mother_ )?” Soyeon answered in a startled yelp, looking back to her. If she noticed, her mother paid it no heed. ‘ _How is she here? Am I dreaming?_ ’

“Didn’t you hear me? Dinner’s almost ready. Your namdongsaeng is coming back tonight.” 

‘ _If this is a dream, I might as well go along with it._ ’ she told herself. Besides, who wouldn’t want to run the clock back and see their family whole again?

“Is that today?” she asked back, staring at the calendar on her bedside. Sure enough, there was the date circled in red titled ‘ _Baek-Hyeon’s visit_ ’ on it. She turned her head ever so slightly, spotting a picture of her and Baek-Hyeon at the airport, a ticket reading Singapore held up close to the camera.

“Yes. You should not be so forgetful in your young age, Soyeon. Now go clean up before he arrives.”

“Yes, eomeonim.” she said, scrambling to her feet to tidy up her room before moving on to Baek-Hyeon’s. It sounded like he was staying over for the night, so she wanted to at least keep his room tidy, rather than leave it as a proverbial pig sty.

About an hour later as the sunset started to disappear below the horizon, she heard someone knock at the door. Her abeonim swung the door open, letting the figure walk into their abode.

Soyeon gamely smiled, watching her brother step in and set the bag back down by the side. He looked a little less leaner, probably from the myriad options of food in Singapore. His hair was roughly parted, clearly by hand rather by a comb. His clothes were a little worn out, the ever eagle-eyed Soyeon spotting a tiny hole on his t-shirt near his right shoulder. “Welcome back, Baek-Hyeon-ah!“ She hugged him tightly.

“Hey, nuna! Feels good to be back.” he said, grunting from the tight squeeze.

“How’s the idol life treating you? I heard you’re releasing another album.” he said, gently patting Soyeon’s back before he felt her release him from her bear hug. Marching over to the couch, he plopped down on it with a sense of relief.

“Yes, we are. We’re still in the middle of mixing it, so it’ll be awhile before we release it.”

“Anything good?” he asked with a smirk. Soyeon quickly punched him on the shoulder, though it was more playful than anything else.

“Oww… what was that for?”

“You said that so unconvincingly, Baek-Hyeon-ah!” Soyeon said, pouting at him. ‘ _Not a good look on her._ ’ he chuckled inwardly.

“Oww… okay. I’m sure your album will be… the best thing since kimchi.” Another wry smile, followed by another playful shove from the young idol. Their parents smiled from the sofa, taking another spoonful of rice. Soyeon noted their smile. It was always heartwarming for the parents to see their siblings joking around with one another.

When dinner was ready, the family sat down cross legged at the dinner table, hungrily devouring the various home cooked dishes their eomeonim had made, topped off with some green tea from one of Soyeon’s earlier tours.

“How was high school in Singapore?” she mumbled, her mouth filled with noodles.

Baek-Hyeon smiled. “It was good. Lots of friendly people. Some of them were hoping I’d snag them some autographs.” Soyeon’s shoulders slumped briefly. “I turned them down, told them that you weren’t taking requests.” she smiled, wordlessly thanking her brother for the small mercy.

Dinner proceeded apace, those small moments of banter peppering the conversation. For the most part, it was usually between Soyeon and Baek-Hyeon, their parents content to listen and offer a few curt words where necessary. Soyeon was happy to live in the moment herself, this moment of family unity.

His mother spoke up eventually, having almost finished her bowl of noodles. “We wanted to ask, adeunim ( _son_ ). Are you still planning on going to that university in Singapore you were talking about?”

“Um, yes. It should be a piece of cake with my grades. I’d need to go for an entrance exam…” He continued to explain, only for his mother to cut him off.

“Don’t worry about that. We already sent an application to a university here in Seoul.” she stated rather happily. Baek-Hyeon shook his head in confusion.

“What...? But I wanted to go to that school. Their writing courses are second to none. And I’d pick up some other valuable...” he again was cut off by his mother.

“Well, you should be here. With your family. Supporting your sister as much as you can.”

Soyeon looked in shock at her mother, slowly morphing into a look of askance as her words sunk in. Her spoon dropped with a soft plop into her bowl of noodles. She thought her parents were simply missing their son in their lives and wanted him close by. To hear that it was more about her career rather than their own love did not sit well with her. She moved to interrupt her mother, but Baek-Hyeon beat her to the punch.

“So I should give up my dream just so I can support hers?” he wore a similar look of shock, his bowl of noodles completely forgotten.

“We’re not asking you to give up your dream, adeunim. But surely your sister could use all the support she can. Who knows, perhaps she can find you some…”

“Eomeonim!” Soyeon answered in a high-pitched tone, standing up from her seat.

Her father motioned for her to sit back down, shooting her a withering look. “Hush, ttanim. Let your mother speak.”

“We are simply concerned that your chosen profession…”

“Is what? Useless? There are famous writers too. People making beautiful stories in books, on TV, movies, games!” He passionately defended his dream.

“Aduenim, your tales are good but they are nowhere close to being ready for a professional level.” Their father dispassionately remarked. Baek-Hyeon looked crestfallen, like he had been punched in the gut.

“I’m still learning. It takes time.” Baek-Hyeon stammered, feeling his hands start to clench, trembling with a mix of sadness and anger.

“Time better spent helping this family. The Seoul university has writing classes, if you’re so interested but their curriculum includes more... practical skills. More so than that university you wanted to go to.” their eomeonim said in a huff.

‘ _Please wake up. Please wake up._ ’ she tried to pinch herself awake. Nothing happened. She was stuck in this nightmare. Each word out of her mother’s mouth felt like a kick in the teeth.

“And nuna? You believed in her dream. You drove her to every audition, attended as many concerts as you could. What about me?” He motioned towards Soyeon pointedly.

“She was practically a prodigy, Baek-Hyeon. The decision was easier to make. You on the other hand are not. As for what we’ve done for you, we sent you to that fancy high school. I thought that their curriculum would beat this silly dream out of your head. Clearly, I was wrong.” she scoffed, increasingly angered by the lack of respect he was displaying.

“Eomeonim, stop! This isn’t…” Soyeon pleadingly looked to her mother, Baek-Hyeon’s next words quickly drawing her attention.

“So you finally dropped the pretense? Fine, then I guess I’d better get used to being second fiddle! As I didn’t have enough practice in my life to begin with!” he angrily snarled, rising to his feet and storming out. He gave Soyeon a disappointed glance, sighing as he swung the front door open.

“Baek-Hyeon-ah! Come back!” She cried out, chasing after her brother’s form in a mad dash. His back turned and in his rage, his hand colliding with the door, its full force imparted onto the thin sheet of wood. The door slammed back in her face, right in her nose, causing her to tumble backwards much to the shock of her parents. As her head crashed against the floor, her vision slowly drifted into black nothingness, eyes fixed on the door her brother had just left through and the sounds of her concerned parents fading into the background. How had something beautiful turn sour so quickly?

“Wha…?!” Soyeon shuddered awake for good this time, rubbing her eyes to clear her blurry vision. As the haze cleared, she realised what she had been doing for the past few hours. She quickly glanced around, stacks of sheet music and notes scattered across the recording equipment and a small puddle of drool in the center where her head had been resting.

It was just a nightmare, yet the vividness of it all took her by surprise. Especially the rather unkind image of her eomeonim and abeonim as it were. She paused to consider why. Perhaps it was because she had very little time if any to spend with Baek-Hyeon lately? A part of her guilty conscience screaming back at her? The thought did not sit well with her, not even passing with the reminder that her career, her dream, was the best way she could think of to support her namdongsaeng. She picked up the sheet again, running through the notes with a hum. ‘ _Soon... Just a little longer._ ’ she told herself, hoping that the concert and Shuhua’s upcoming single would be the capstone of her busy schedule.

Minnie was confused by Soojin’s sudden need for help. She had heard through the grapevine or rather Yuqi’s blabber mouth about her attempts at a single. Despite the collaboration, it was clear that they were floundering. What lyrics that were here already looked haphazard and wonky at first glance. She found herself reading and humming through it herself, trying to imagine how the song would play out.

“No, no… That line doesn’t jive well with the chorus. It feels like it’s from a different song altogether.” Minnie circled one of the lines, pointing it out to Soojin.

“Okay, noted. Probably need to see what else I can come up with. Anything on the dance?” Soojin pressed play on the video, barely watching it as she scribbled some additional notes into her personal journal.

“Honestly, spending more time on that would probably be a waste. Especially since you’re our main dancer.” Minnie watched the routine with interest. It was definitely a dance that strayed from the norms, full of contortions, moves and quirks that she would never think to splice together. That it worked as well as it did was a testament to the idol’s skill.

“I think it’s best if Soyeon had a look at the arrangement. I don’t know how much more help I’ll be in this.”

“With everyone else on this, we’ll surely come up with something.” Soojin deflected.

“The rest of us don’t have as much experience as her though. The closest is Shuhua and Miyeon and she has them beat by a long shot.” Minnie folded her arms across one another.

Again she pivoted. “It’ll take some time, admittedly but it can be done.”

“Why are you so resistant to Soyeon-ah helping you out? You’ve never been shy about asking for help before.” she broached the subject. Soojin’s demeanour quickly changed, turning cagey in an instant.

“I’ll ask... when we have something concrete. There’s no point going to her without something, Minnie-ah.” She looked briefly contemplative when Minnie left the room, mulling over her words. Her eyes followed her fellow member’s retreating form as she passed the awards plastered on the walls. The albums their leader wrote and scored. Her eyes hardened in determination, the achievements like taunting cuts against her ego. The words had to come. They just had to...

Ja Haeun was by all accounts the kind of girl who had a lot going for her. At 17, she had the looks, from the long locks of jet black hair, small face, large puppy like eyes to convey a sense of innocence, slim figure and near flawless skin. She had the talent to boot, learning to sing and dance from an early age through her own practice, copious consumption of music videos and lessons paid out of her salaries from part-time jobs.

Her dream had always been to join the ranks of the idols, to aspire to be the envy of the nation’s people and to put on a show for the masses to enjoy. She wafted in her earlier years, the fear of the restrictive lifestyle gnawing at her confidence. Yet her dreams drove her and as the new year dawned, she finally took the leap and sent out an audition tape to all of the major agencies, hoping that she could take that first step to achieving her dream sooner rather than later.

She looked around, wondering if Baek-Hyeon had decided to skip the half day of school today. Much like the rest of her classmates, they had gathered around before the start of class, eager to watch Baek-Hyeon’s interview from last night. It was by all accounts a moving speech for a rather unusual situation and certainly a boon for the aspiring would-be idol, since it was an in that had fallen into her lap.

The teenager of the hour eventually strolled in with 5 minutes left on the clock. Most of the class looked at him, mostly out of curiosity. Some were supportive, throwing him an approving look and a thumbs up or a high-five he did not care to reciprocate. Others were more gossipy, happy to stay in one corner of the room and speak his back. A rare one or two openly approached him, wanting to ask the inside scoop on their favourite K-Pop group. He deigned to answer in the same manner.

“Oh, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. I didn’t think you were coming in today.”

He raised his eyebrow, taking his seat behind his desk. “Why wouldn’t I, Haeun-ssi?”

She meekly replied. “Your interview last night?”

“Oh. Oh… Did Chung-Ae skip school by any chance?” Baek-Hyeon felt his teeth sink into his lip. Haeun shook her head. The teeth sunk in a little deeper.

“I’ll... figure it out. Thanks for the heads up, Haeun-ssi.” He said, pulling out his stationary and notebook from his bag.

“Could I ask about something else?” she asked.

He straightened his back against the chair. “Um, sure?”

“I… uh… I sent my audition video to CUBE Entertainment earlier this week. I was wondering…” she stopped, seeing Baek-Hyeon look at her knowingly.

He set the pencil down. “If I would put in a good word with my nuna? Is that what this is all about?”

“No, I was just asking as a…” Haeun stopped, noting the resigned sigh escaping Baek-Hyeon. When he finally spoke, the resignation was clear in his tone.

“Look, I’ll speak with my nuna and see if she has some spare time. I can’t promise anything, okay?” he said, deciding to spare her the prolonged effort of trying to create a friendship out of thin air.

Her face lit up, completely overtaking any latent hints of guilt. “Just asking would be very much appreciated. Thank you, Baek-Hyeon-ssi!” she squealed, skipping back to her seat with a kick in her step. He sighed again, turning his attention back to his books.

‘ _It’s fine… it’s fine…_ ’ he told himself, trying to be content with the family and subsequent friends he did have. School would be the price he paid for that. He barely noticed the single tear dripping from his face, nor the fact that his hand was starting to grip the pencil just that tad bit tighter, the chant repeating itself in his head until the teacher walked into the classroom.

Classes went on as normal, albeit with more stares in his direction than he cared for. Baek-Hyeon ignored them for the most part, simply burying his head in his homework and listening to the lectures even when some of his classmates were on the verge of resting their heads on the desks in sheer boredom. As the second last class of the day concluded, he decided to take a short break before classes resumed anew. It was his luck that he found Pyeong Chung-Ae standing right outside, flanked as always by his two enforcers.

“Oh, no…” His face visibly blanched, feet rooted to the ground in fear.

The teenager shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “I would say that too were I in your shoes.”

“You grew some stones, did you? Going on live television? Acting like the big man on campus?” his hand leaned against the wall, all while he glared at the young teenager.

“Look, it was just a favour for my nuna. That’s it. Nothing else to it.” Baek-Hyeon replied, trying to muster up some courage.

“A favour that makes me look like a sympathetic chump. Makes me look weak, as if you planned it that way.” The way his mind seemed to connect seemingly random dots into some sort of sinister plot against him was terrifying, a level of self-delusion that he knew was impossible to reason with. Still Baek-Hyeon tried.

“Now, that’s... not… true…” his tone veered into a nervous wreck, watching Chung-Ae’s two associates march towards him with a sinister look.

“I believe remedial class is now in session. Boys?” he motioned to his ‘henchmen’. Their thin smiles horrified the young teenager, his feet kicking as he was once again dragged to the confines of the bathroom. As he passed the classroom door, he could see Ja Haeun watch from inside, a look of guilt and fear intermixed in her facial features. She stood there too afraid to make a move, much like the rest of her classmates. The girls moved back to their seats, unable to watch any longer. For Ja Haeun, she watched until he disappeared behind a corner. Her body shuddered in fear as she tentatively stepped away from the door, a participant all the same in the pain Baek-Hyeon was now going through.

Yuqi squirmed in her seat, rifling through the list of dossiers laid out in front of her as Shuhua stepped inside the conference room, taking a seat to the left of Cheon Da-nim. Every few months, they’d get a new batch of trainees to start replacing the ones that have debuted or otherwise exited the program. Usually, the CEO and the managers of each group would get together for the assessment. With the comebacks for most of the other groups upcoming and the busy schedule of most of the usual suspects, it fell to them for the assessment.

“Think this batch will be better than the last, Cheon Da-nim?” she asked their manager, seeing him rub his temple with a pained expression.

“I sincerely hope so. We haven’t been finding any quality recruits recently.” He wondered if the better recruits were fleeing to more prominent agencies. He wouldn’t put it past them to try something like that. The best way to winnow the competition down after all is to cut off their fresh supply of talent.

“Shouldn’t Youngsoo-nim be overseeing this? Seems like he’d want to weigh in on this.”

“He would, but he’s busy with some negotiations. Anyway, today will be just a review of video recordings. We pick out some prospective ones, have a callback session later to assess them in person.” He motioned to the TV in front of them, his laptop already hooked up to it.

Shuhua looked pointedly at their manager. “And what excuse did CLC give to skip this session?” she inquired about their fellow peers, their seniors as it were and certainly far better candidates for this kind of assessment.

“A gig for the new School Attack program. Yes, I’ve already voiced my… displeasure to their manager about the timing of it all but it won’t change what we need to do today.” Cheon Da-nim explained, a touch of annoyance entering his tone.

She nodded, picking up the first dossier from the pile. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

For the next two hours, they cycled through about a hundred auditions. All young hopefuls looking to launch their dreams into reality. It brought back memories of Minnie and Yuqi’s days as trainees, more so considering their foreign roots. VIdeo after video assaulted their senses, sometimes three times for trainees that showed more potential. Their pens scribbled notes next to each trainee’s dossier, circling those they were happy with and crossing out those they felt didn’t cut muster.

Yuqi looked through her notes as they took a brief break, most of the trainees’ names on her list crossed out. She looked over at Cheon Da-nim’s list. He was less kind to them, at least less than half of her circled count. “Some were better than I expected… Others were…”

Shuhua looked to Yuqi with a snort, holding up her own book for them to see. Off the hundred plus names, only 7 were still visible. “Don’t sugarcoat it. They sucked. Hard.”

‘ _A bit harsh to put it that way…_ ’ she mused. “Well, at least they gave it their all. That’s something, right? Better enthusiastic than bored?”

“If that translated to talent, we’d have no problems.”

Cheon Da-nim looked through the application forms again, flipping through them like pages in a book. “Well, we have a few more to get through. Let’s see if they are any better. At the very least, we have enough candidates to start the process.”

“Missing the paperwork already, Cheon Da-nim?” Yuqi teased.

“Yes, I miss having to write endless reports, call people to book gigs and chauffeur you around. Why wouldn’t my job be a blast, Yuqi-ssi?” he responded in a sarcastic and drawled tone.

“Way to make me feel bad. Just you wait until I get my driver’s license.” she pointed at him in mock annoyance. Cheon Da-nim snorted in laughter.

“That’ll be a sight to behold... I volunteer Shuhua-ssi for the front seat!” The mention of her name caused the young idol’s face to blanch as she looked at both of them.

“Come on, Shuhua-ah. I could take everyone to venues very easily. And I’d let you all eat as many snacks as you want.” she demurred, teasing the idol.

“Tempting as that is, I want to actually live to do my performances, Yuqi-ah.” Shuhua nervously replied. Yuqi wore a look of mock surprise, pouting at her as she turned her attention back to the next dossier.

“Hmm… this one seems promising. Ja Haeun.” Cheon Da-nim motioned Yuqi and Shuhua over. The video of a young girl running through a dance of Latata, lip syncing to the vocals with a few lines of her own to show off her range played out to the trio. 

“Dance moves look good, if a little lacking on the basics. Vocals might need a little work, especially the high notes. What position did she put down?” Yuqi asked, watching the routine again.

“Prefers vocalist, but is amenable to being a dancer.” he supplied readily. Yuqi noted that her current school was similar to Baek-Hyeon. ‘ _Small world._ ’ she jokingly pondered.

Shuhua took another pass at her singing. “She’s hitting the right tone for it, but I agree with Yuqi’s assessment. She has the talent and she has the look of a traditional trainee to boot. A real diamond in the rough.” 

Cheon Da-nim nodded, agreeing with the assessments. Still, she showed a lot of potential. Trainees were always going to have some rough edges to them. Well, most of them. If the rumours are to be believed, Soyeon had very few of those when she first joined CUBE. “Promising, then. We can work with promising.”

Shuhua looked to Cheon Da-nim and Yuqi. She had no particular problem with adding her. “On the list?” Yuqi nodded in kind.

“On the list it is.” Cheon Da-nim circled her name, with Yuqi and Shuhua doing the same.

Miyeon panted, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down her body. Today’s dance practice was quite an exhausting effort. There were at least a few dances to remember for the concert and running through them solo without the others to gauge her position was not as conducive as she’d liked. As she dried herself off with a towel, she heard her phone ring, Soyeon’s name displayed on the screen. Miyeon quickly answered it.

“Soyeon-ah? What’s up?”

“Hi, Miyeon. Sorry to call on such short notice. This song arrangement is taking longer than I had expected and I was supposed to pick up Baek-Hyeon from school today. Could you help me?”

“I can ask Cheon Da-nim. I’m sure... he’ll be happy to pick him up.” she said, using the towel to wipe her brows in between laboured breaths.

At the mention of his name, she could hear Soyeon audibly sigh. “I asked him earlier. He said that he’ll be busy with the new trainees today. And he took Yuqi and Shuhua with him too.”

“Please, unni? You’ll be doing me a huge favor.” Miyeon paused only momentarily before surrendering to her cute voice.

“I’ll call a cab.”

“I’ll pay you back! Thanks, unni!” Soyeon’s voice chirped in glee before the call disconnected. ‘ _The things I do for the others…_ ’ she chuckles, deciding to make a move before the rush hour traffic cost her more time.

The bruises were much harder to hide this time. Even as Baek-Hyeon grunted in pain with. The nurse had been suspicious of his claim, considering it was the second time in as many weeks he had come into the office but she simply resolved to put bandages on his injuries all the same. She had wanted to give him a cane so he could walk without putting pressure on his leg, but his stubborn insistence won out and he limped out of the room, with barely a thank you to her name.

He stepped outside the campus, feeling his knee wobble in pain. The bandages were far too conspicuous. Baek-Hyeon felt grateful that Soyeon had been extremely busy with the upcoming concert and the group’s new album to spend time with him, in a strange sense. It would give him the time to recover and show himself in a more presentable light. At least Pyeon Chung-Ae and his thugs weren’t stupid enough to do anything that could show itself on camera.

That conflicting, comforting feeling dropped entirely when he saw Miyeon step out of a cab, wearing a sporty look of a plain grey singlet, track pants, white shoes and a cap to partially hide her face. As she asked about for Baek-Hyeon, he stopped dead in his tracks. Her eyes found him, her hand starting to wave. Then the look as she traced the bandages on his leg and arm, the cane he was holding to stay upright.

“Baek-Hyeon? What’s that…?”

“It’s nothing! I just… tripped on some stairs today and… hurt myself.” The excuse was weak and he knew it. Unable to speak any further, he tried to flee only to feel a firm grip clasp onto his left arm. The tug pulled the sleeve of his uniform back, revealing more of the bandages covering his elbow. Her eyes widened in shock. It was covering so much of his skin. Touching it drew a pained expression on the teenager’s face and increased his urge to pull away from her hold.

“Stop, just talk to me. What happened?”

He continued to deny her insinuation. “Nothing happened, Miyeon-ssi! It was an accident! I asked the nurse to patch me up, that was the extent of it.”

“I know accidental injuries. Those don’t look like accidents.” She held her grip. Some students were already stopping, wondering what the two of them were up to. Miyeon thanked her lucky stars that no-one had recognised her yet, though she wasn’t as worried about that right now.

She shook her head in disbelief at his sudden silence, his face turned away from her in shame. She reached for the phone in her pocket. “Fine, maybe your nuna will have a better time…”

His head shook frantically, his hand gripping her wrist like she had spoken the name of the grim reaper. “No, don’t tell her!” His fear was clear as day, shocking Miyeon with its intensity, causing her own grip to loosen.

“Please, Miyeon-ssi. Just… don’t tell her.” He pleaded again in earnest. Before Miyeon could ask, he tore away from her slackened grip and dashed down the street, vainly trying to race back home. Miyeon quickly paid the cab driver, chasing after the fleeing teenager with a look of fear in her eyes.

‘ _How long had this been going on? Why was he hiding it?_ ’ the questions raced in her head. Questions she desperately wanted answered as she ran, sparing only one fleeting glance at the school that now terrified her friend’s sibling...


	9. Pack of Lions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soyeon finds out about Soojin’s attempts at crafting her own single. Miyeon struggles to keep Baek-Hyeon’s situation a secret. Shuhua, Yuqi and Minnie commiserate over their status as foreigners in Korea. Shuhua recognizes something familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

The first song of the concert went off without a hitch, so to speak. Though the week leading up to it had been nothing but a hectic rush of practice, recording, rehearsals and the like, it was all worth it to see the crowd roar with approval. Soyeon walked backstage with a smile on her face. It was also the end of an otherwise jam packed schedule, giving her some breathing room to continue reconnecting with Baek-Hyeon. The other members soon joined up, following the crowd’s applause with their own.

Soyeon was quick to jump in, clapping her hands in tandem. “Nice work, everyone! I think we managed to rouse a bigger crowd than last time!”

“Congrats, everyone! We have them on the hook. Now we just need to reel it in. Miyeon-ssi, Minnie-ssi, we’ll be moving to the Q&A session in 10 minutes.” Cheon Da-nim said, quickly rushing past them to oversee a different aspect of the crew’s prep work.

While everyone else was focused on discussing the performance, Miyeon’s head was elsewhere. She watched as Baek-Hyeon sat next to the production director, listening intently as he explained how their whole setup was run. He was wearing baggier clothing today ostensibly to protect against the cool air and keep him from catching a cold, but Miyeon knew that he was trying to cover the bandages on his arms and legs. Even with that act in place, each nervous rub of his leg made her wince, knowing the pain he was actually in.

Soyeon noted her spaciness, gently shaking the idol by her shoulder. “Miyeon-ah, are you okay? You seem to be spacing out a bit.”

“Huh? Sorry, Soyeon-ah. I’m just feeling a little tired, that’s all.” the smile felt forced, even if it had the desired effect.

She hated smiling at Soyeon now, knowing what she knew and having to lie about it. She still remembered chasing after Baek-Hyeon a week ago, his vain attempts to limp away unable to overcome her brisk walk. Her hand tugged at him, spinning him around. His eyes registered his state of fear to her, the fear of his secret being exposed.

The explanation he offered horrified her, each sentence spilling from the teenager painting a deeply unpleasant picture for the idol to fathom. No one was protecting him. The motive for the bullying was beyond insane. And Baek-Hyeon was simply weathering the storm.

“And they just let this happen?!” she screamed, eyeing the teenager in case he tried to run again.

“They’re scared! Who wouldn’t be? No-one wants to fight for a losing cause!” he responded defensively.

“So, report this to your teacher! Or your principal! They would stop this!”

“They’d call nuna to the school. And there’s no guarantee that they’ll do anything more than admonish them. What would happen after that? She forgets her practice to come rushing to protect me? Or she skips a concert to look after me?”

She angrily threw her hand at the direction of the school, her other free hand angrily pointing to his bandaged arm. “So you’re just going to let them do this to you?!”

“It’s my problem! You saw how she was scrambling about those first couple of weeks, trying to fix my problems? I get why she’s doing it and I appreciate it but her life shouldn’t be put on hold for my sake. And what about her reputation? What would the SNS be saying if she marches into my school on a warpath? K-Pop idol goes berserk?! Decides to pick a fight with teenagers?! She’d be dropped in a heartbeat!”

“That’s what family does, Baek-Hyeon! They help each other, no matter what! They stick together and protect each other!”

“I just met her, Miyeon-ssi! I’m not going to make her suffer for my sake and resent me for it! Nor am I going to ruin her career by making her choose!”

She wore a look of deep frustration. “You think so little of her? You think she wouldn’t suffer for her namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ )?! If you were my namdongsaeng, I’d march into that office, career be damned.”

Baek-Hyeon sighed loudly. “That’s not what I meant… I just… I don’t want to risk it.” Miyeon could only look at him in anguished exasperation. He was more than happy to be a martyr to protect his relationship with her, even sacrificing his well being for his sake. From a fan, this would be disturbing all on its own. From a family member, this struck as desperate, as if he had experienced this before and was dead set on preventing a recurrence.

“Please, Miyeon-ssi. I’m begging you not to tell her. Or the others. Just let me handle this on my own.” He begged, clutching the side of the wall tightly. Even as a week went by, full of contrived reasons to check on Baek-Hyeon every day after school, Miyeon still did not know why she agreed to keep his secret. Maybe she actually believed his excuses or that he would resolve the issue on his own. Or maybe she empathized with his need to protect the only relationship he has left.

She watched him cautiously, seeing the teenager amble about and speak occasionally to the odd crew member that passed by. Baek-Hyeon was trying to put on a happy face as if nothing was wrong. It saddened her that he felt that way, felt as if they’d abandon him at the drop of a hat or that Soyeon would care more about her career than him. She hoped that she could convince him to speak up on his own accord and have a little faith in them. The longer she waited though, the more her own feeling of guilt started to overtake her.

She muttered under her breath absentmindedly, not aware that Soyeon had not strayed far. “You idiot…”

Soyeon looked up from her phone. “Huh? Did you say something, unni?”

Miyeon looked taken aback, quickly spitting out an excuse. “Oh, sorry. Just thought I missed my mark on that first verse, Soyeon-ah.” Soyeon seemed to accept the explanation readily, nodding curtly and returning her attention to her phone. The call from the PA was a merciful boon. At least she could swallow the guilt for the next 20 minutes...

Soyeon walked back to the dressing room, adjusting some of her jewelry as she did so. While Minnie and Miyeon handled the Q&A portion and Shuhua and Yuqi practiced the routine for their next song, she thought it was best to quickly touch up her makeup.

When she entered though, she was surprised to find Soojin inside as well. Her fellow member barely rose her head, immersed as she was in her journal and the amount of writing she was pouring into it. That piqued Soyeon’s interest and she sidled up behind her, watching her erase away yet another line with an exasperated sigh.

“Busy writing?” she said calmly, a cheeky smirk forming on her lips.

Soojin jumped in her seat, so startled that she clutched her chest. Her head quickly swivelled around, exhaling as soon as she saw her. “Oh, for… Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Soyeon-ah?”

She motioned to the journal with a tilt of her head. “What are you writing down there?”

“Nothing. Just some random thoughts about some new dance routines.” Soojin deflected, trying to block her line of sight with her body.

“Really, Soojin-ssi? I can tell you’re trying to write some lyrics. A single, perhaps?” Soyeon shot a knowing look, her eyebrows raised high. Soojin’s body relaxed, admitting defeat to Soyeon’s perceptiveness.

“Fine, you caught me.” she sighed, sitting back down and trying to bury herself back in the writing.

Soyeon looked at the journal again, already recognising writing very distinctly different from Soojin’s. “You seem to have a lot of notes. Some of it clearly not yours. Yuqi… and Shuhua, from the looks of it.”

She paused, closing the journal and setting down her pencil to the side of her makeup kit. “Look, Soyeon-ah... I appreciate the help but I can handle it. I have a concept and a dance routine locked in, so I just need to push through on this.” She moved to stow the journal away in her bag, only for Soyeon to move in front of her, arms folded onto one another.

“So you’re happy to share the credit with Yuqi and Shuhua but not me?”

Her voice started to strain. “I admit it wasn’t the most thought out plan, but they were helpful.” She explained, more defensive in her tone than usual.

Soyeon could not understand why Soojin was being so hesitant. She started to reach for the journal. “Look, let me just take a look. It’d be a waste if Youngsoo-nim turns it…”

Soojin started to pull it away, trying to keep it out of her hands. “No, I can still make some adjustments. It’ll work.” a sense of frustration began to creep into her voice. For her part, Soyeon saw it as embarrassment instead.

“It’d go a lot faster if I just take a look. I know enough about the process to…” she spoke quickly, one hand clasped on the front cover.

Soojin snapped mid-sentence, yanking the journal out of her grip in an uncharacteristic display of anger. “Our entire discography is by you! You have hits to your name! All we do is just play off the page! Can’t I just have something of my own?! Is that too much to ask for?!” The idol screamed, jabbing an accusatory finger at Soyeon at the end of each sentence.

There was a pause, where the two idols simply stared at one another. One, shellshocked by her friend’s sudden outburst, the other breathing heavily. Once the adrenaline died down and the shock of her outburst finally wore off, Soojin finally sat back in her seat, taking deep breaths to calm her beating heart. Soyeon stood there, alarmed at the discovery of her friend’s jealousy. Soojin felt her head lower in sudden shame, unable to face Soyeon.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be acting like this. I’m not trying to belittle your work... I just… want something of my own that I can be proud of.” she explained, clutching her forehead.

“I... didn’t know you... felt that way, unni.” Soyeon stammered in uncharacteristic, almost Baek-Hyeon like fashion.

Her head sunk deeper into her hands, almost covered by her interlocking fingers. “I didn’t try to show it. And honestly, it felt a little bad to be selfish when your songs are what helped us get here.”

“Still..., you could have told me. I would have... listened.” the answer felt lacking in confidence. Soojin chose to ignore it, well aware of Soyeon’s many competing projects.

“It wasn’t worth burdening you with. I didn’t want to sour our relationship.” she paused, realising the words she had spoken were similar in tone to Baek-Hyeon’s plea to her. “I suppose we share that in common…” she found herself muttering silently to herself, now understanding Baek-Hyeon’s motivations that much more.

Soyeon had her own conflicting thoughts. She was after all hoping that this concert would be the end of her busy schedule, aside from some tweaks to Shuhua’s single. Still, her innate kindness could not ignore her fellow member’s plight. “I could help you write the lyrics, let you take the credit officially.”

“That wouldn’t be fair, Soyeon-ah. Neverland would know the song isn’t in my style. And the CEO may not want to take the legal risk.” Soojin shook her head vehemently. Soyeon quickly pivoted in response.

“Then my advice, Soojin-ah. I’ll take a look and I’ll give you some feedback. I promise I won’t write a single word of your single.” she said.

She quickly added, seeing Soojin ready to respond back. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

She looked at her fellow member’s reflection, saw her eyes blink a couple of times in anticipation of her answer. Minnie’s words floated back in her head. ‘ _Am I being too thick-headed about this? I shouldn’t be like this…_ ’

“Thank you, Soyeon-ah.” she said, a hint of regret trickling into her voice. A tone that turned to surprise when she felt hands wrap around her from behind and a head rest upon her left shoulder.

“I’m sorry I made you feel that way, unni.” she mumbled quietly, her eyes looking at Soojin’s reflection in the mirror.

She patted Soyeon’s head, still avoiding eye contact with her. “It’s not your fault, Soyeon-ah. I’m sorry about my less than frosty behaviour to your namdongsaeng.”

Soyeon was unaware that tensions had been brewing between her and Baek-Hyeon. At least it sounded like the issue had been resolved beforehand. “We’re even then.” she said, maintaining the hug. The door behind them opened, a bedraggled production assistant stepping in, having spent a good few minutes running around trying to find them.

“Um... we’ll be ready in five.” she said, trying to control her haggard breathing.

“Be right there.” Soyeon replied, the PA nodding and stepping outside. Soojin felt her friend squeeze her just a little bit tighter. She held back the urge to tear up, not wanting to ruin her makeup. The show may still be going on, but for now, their friendship mattered more...

As the day died down and the crowds filtered out, the group were idly chatting amongst one another, reviewing each other’s performance to better prepare for the next one. Baek-Hyeon was still parked in the chair, now joined by Cheon Da-nim as he pulled up a chair next to the teenager.

“It’s my first time seeing something like this in person. The PD pointed out a lot of details I never imagined went into this.” He waved to the retreating PD, the man waving back. He was a real treat to talk to when he wasn’t overly busy, happily answering Baek-Hyeon’s questions regarding the camera placements, costume design and the editing process as best as he could.

“Your first time?” Cheon Da-nim snarkily remarked.

“My first time at a live concert… that I didn’t interrupt. You get what I mean.” He answered, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

“It’s a lot longer than our usual concerts. We were basically selling a concert and half for the price of one.” the manager explained.

“The practice though. All of that prep and stress that comes with it. Doesn’t that… take its toll on them?” he asked, his tone more concerning than inquisitive. Cheon Da-nim immediately knew who he was asking about and why.

“Idols care about one thing, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. That’s the performance.” he pointed towards the empty stage, the MC riling up the crowd with some last minute gift handouts. “That’s what gets them through the days of practice, dieting, recording and public scrutiny. That in the end, the fans go wild and are excited to see them in their element. That’s the dream they want.”

The explanation still didn’t sit well with Baek-Hyeon and it was readily apparent, a reluctant gulp in his throat and an equally begrudging sigh. “I suppose... They never seem to show it, when I speak with them or watch them in action.”

Cheon Da-nim swung his right leg on top of his left. “They hide their pain. The audience doesn’t see it, nor do they want to. Entertainment is about selling a fantasy, a picture perfect image.”

“But reality doesn’t work that way. Imperfect by nature.” Baek-Hyeon finished off his thought, keenly aware of the parallels his actions had in relation to their everyday life. Cheon Da-nim nodded, watching the group break away and approach them.

Soyeon nodded in Baek-Hyeon’s direction, her eyes directed at the monitors behind him. “So, how did you find the performance?”

“Well, I wasn’t trying to stop it halfway. I’d call it an improvement.” Everyone else chuckled heartily, with Yuqi even clapping her hands enthusiastically at the quick barb.

Soyeon playfully ruffled his hair. “When did you get so cheeky, namdongsaeng?”

He smiled as he shot back, patting her shoulder with equal affection. “I learned from the best, nuna.” The whole group snorted, especially when Soyeon’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Yuqi in particular stared at Baek-Hyeon in slight disappointment, feeling the title of jokester ought to be conferred to her instead.

Soyeon wrapped her arm around Baek-Hyeon’s shoulder. “Come on. The others want to celebrate and I’m itching for some chikin. ( _fried chicken_ )”

He groaned. “Not again… Can’t we get some yukgaejang ( _spicy beef soup_ ) instead?”

“I thought you liked chikin?” Soyeon looked at him in befuddlement. She distinctly remembered their first talk in their house.

“Not every day. If I thought I would be force fed like this, I wouldn’t have said anything.” he said.

Yuqi spied a golden opportunity to spice up their dinner routine. She too was sick of spending dinners with yet another platter of fried chicken. Her hand quickly came out of her pocket. “Play you for it!” Soyeon gamely threw out her hand in response, while Shuhua decided to act as referee.

“Kai, bai, bo! ( _Rock, paper, scissors!_ )” Yuqi threw out scissors, while Soyeon threw out paper.

“Woohoo! Yukgaejang it is!” Yuqi screamed, jumping up and down in delight with the rest of the group members, save for Soojin. Soyeon sighed, her shoulder shrugging lightly. She had no problem with switching it up. Soojin chimed in soon after, once the revelries had died down.

“How about we go for a drink first?” Five nods from all of the idols. Soojin added hers with a grin.

Baek-Hyeon raised his hand meekly. “Um, I’m not old enough to drink, let alone enter a pub. Where are you going to find a place that’ll let me in?”

‘ _Maybe I shouldn’t open my mouth next time._ ’ he mused to himself, watching as the entire group took generous sips out of their full glasses of beer. They had dragged him to a small pub near the agency building, out of the way and practically unknown to all but the most adventurous of souls. The owner barely batted an eye as they entered, merely flicking his gaze towards the upper floor with a grunt.

“I still can’t believe he let me in.” he muttered to Soojin who was sitting opposite him, awkwardly watching as Soyeon took another swig next to him. His eyes darted to Yuqi and Miyeon instinctively, wondering if their drunken states were shared by the others. Two were a pain to deal with. Six would be a nightmare.

Soojin grinned back, wiping some leftover beer from the side of her lip. “Being famous comes with some perks. That and being regular patrons.”

“But…”

Miyeon tapped his shoulder twice. “We won’t get caught here. We’ve been here a couple of times after we debuted, so relax.” He nodded a little too fervently, still a little unsure about it all. Still, he was in a bar. And beer was sitting in front of him in the form of Soyeon’s glass, most of the idols speaking to one another animatedly.

Baek-Hyeon snuck his hand forward when he felt no-one was looking, reaching for the half-empty glass in front of him. Soyeon was quick to notice, smacking his palm firmly and seeing her namdongsaeng reel back with a yelp of pain. Her hand quickly grasped the glass, pulling it closer to her and out of his reach.

“No drinks for you though.” Soyeon tsked, to the chuckles of Yuqi and Shuhua.

Baek-Hyeon looked mollified. “That’s where you draw the line, nuna?” The rest of the idols now chuckled in unison, as did Baek-Hyeon eventually.

The drinking continued apace, broken by conversations about the latest gossip floating about the K-Pop world. Soyeon could not keep herself from trying to set up Baek-Hyeon with some of the younger K-Pop idols she knews, despite the rule forbidding such a relationship. Soojin was a little more open about her work on her single, close as it was to being a complete product. Miyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua were off on their own tangent, though it was at least related to food this time. As for Minnie, she had participated at first but the ring of her phone soon called her attention and did not let go, her head buried in it for the past five minutes.

Miyeon noticed something was up. “You okay, Minnie-ah?”

“I’m okay, Miyeon-ah. I just… got a text from my mom back home in Thailand. The usual congratulatory greeting. Well wishes and all.” the idol couldn’t help but sigh.

She was quick to ascertain why. “Feeling a little homesick, Minnie-ssi?”

She seemed embarrassed to admit it. “Yes... It’s been a while since I went back for a personal trip. I haven’t seen them at all this year.”

Shuhua nodded empathically. “Same here. It’s been a while since I’ve been back home. Same with Yuqi-ah, right?” Yuqi nodded.

Minnie looked at Baek-Hyeon. “I suppose you must feel like that in some way, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. What with being around people you barely know.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s the same… and it would be a huge discredit to your situation, Minnie-ssi.”

“With any luck, we’ll be done with our busy schedule soon enough. Then we can all take a nice vacation to relax and catch up.” Soyeon said, earning a rousing round of applause from the table.

“Well... here’s to the outsiders. It’s tough to find your place in a place you don’t recognize. To be away from the ones you love. But it helps when you have good people by your side! To share in your sorrows and to pick each other back up! Geonbae ( _cheers/bottoms up_ )!” he said, clinking his glass of water against the beer mugs the others had. Miyeon was the most reluctant, the speech feeling almost ironic to her.

Miyeon could not help but mutter again, though she kept it barely audible this time. “Maybe you should take your own advice…” Only Baek-Hyeon heard it and he was quick to gently nudge the idol on her shoulder, even as he incurred her annoyed glare.

While it would have been easy to find a place that sold some quality yukgaejang even at this hour, the members decided that another night at the siblings’ residence was in order. Why, Baek-Hyeon did not know though he guessed Soyeon’s little chats with them over the course of drinks were a major factor in the decision. While the others busied themselves with cutlery and plates, Baek-Hyeon joined his nuna outside.

“So... what’s next for you, nuna?”

“I thought it’d be spending time with you. But... Soojin has been busy trying to make a solo debut, so…” her voice trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She found it a few seconds later, trying to apologise to her namdongsaeng.

“Listen, Baek-Hyeon-ssi… I’m sorry I haven’t been around a lot lately. But I’m going to try and make some time for you when I can.”

“You’re following your dream, nuna. You don’t have to apologise for that. And I’m spending more time with you now than I ever did for the last 14 years. I can wait a little longer.” he replied, hoping to alleviate her concerns.

“That’s 14 years I have to make up for.” Soyeon said.

“Then we can call ourselves even since I also owe you 14 years as well.” “I’ll be fine, nuna. Besides, you already promised you’d take care of them first before me.” He affirmed her promise from before. He leaned a little too hard on the wall, feeling his knee bend just that little bit more and sending a shot of pain right up his body. Soyeon noticed his limp, moving to prop him back up.

“Are you okay? You seem to be limping a bit.” she asked, hoisting him back to an upright position.

“Probably… knocked into something earlier. I’ll live.” He grunted, shaking his head and brushing off his sister’s concerns. The pain wasn’t all bad, the light bulb going off above his head as he remembered the favor Ja Haeun had asked of him. Despite his reluctance, he figured he’d at least try to help her out at least.

“Oh, um… I do have something I wanted to ask, nuna.”

Her ears perked up, her hand brushing away a few strands of stray hair in her left ear. “What is it?”

“There’s this girl at my school, Ja Haeun.” Soyeon’s eyes widened and her eyebrows wagged as if she had heard the most scandalous thing in the world. He was quick to shake his head very strongly, heading off whatever thoughts she had in her head, even as her expression betrayed her burning question. “No, no, no! That’s not what I meant. Stop it!”

“Sorry..., but I can’t help it.” Soyeon spoke in a higher pitch, still unable to contain her laughter at the awkward situation.

“Anyway…” his eyes rolled at her. “She’s trying to become a trainee. And she sent an audition video in. I know she’s getting a callback soon… but…”

Soyeon noted his look of reluctance. It didn’t take much to figure out the logic behind this request and the reason why his classmate had broached the subject. “Ah, I see.” she said, her elbows resting on the wall as she stared out at the night sky with a thoughtful look on her face.

“I shouldn’t have asked, nuna. It was stupid of me…” she stopped him mid-sentence by holding up her finger. Another few seconds passed in silence before she spoke again.

“I can give her some pointers, some personal training when I can. If she does well, maybe I can convince Youngsoo-nim to sign her.” Soyeon offered, looking pensively at Baek-Hyeon. She felt sorry for him, that a prospective friend turned out to be more interested in a career boost than cultivating a friendship. Not something she can blame on her. The industry was just too cut-throat for everyone to survive, so any edge she could utilise was fair game. Still, the first instance of Baek-Hyeon trying to make a friend beyond her and the rest of (G)I-DLE turning out so poorly did not bode well.

He looked surprised by Soyeon’s sudden spark of charity. “You don’t have to do so much, nuna. I only promised her to ask you about it.”

“Knowing you, you’re not one to turn down someone in need. Even if I don’t agree with how she went about this… I’ll do it because you asked.” He nodded in thanks, his eyes turning to gaze at the night sky with his nuna. His heart skipped a beat, drinking in the moment of silence between them.

The grand tour commenced not long after. Having only been confined to the living room, the other members were happy to let Soyeon and Baek-Hyeon give the grand tour. Or in this case, foist Shuhua onto Baek-Hyeon while Soyeon chatted with the others regarding other matters. They were both inside his parents’ room now, pointing out various trinkets and telling what tales he could still recall from memory.

One of those stood out more than most for Shuhua. A dusty photo of the three family members, minus Soyeon. The man and woman were older, standing tall above a sitting Baek-Hyeon, the boy looking pensively at the camera. She picked it up from the end table, dusting off the thin layer of dust to see it clearly.

“Is this your parents, Baek-Hyeon-ssi?” she rose her head, waving the photo in his general direction.

Baek-Hyeon glanced over at the picture she was holding. “An older photo, about maybe 3 years ago? I remember vaguely taking that photo with them. They wanted something a bit more recent in the house, something not so attached to the past.”

She looked back at the picture. The old woman, Soyeon’s eomeonim ( _mother_ ) was faintly familiar. As if she had met her before. Why though? Where? When? Shuhua tried to rack her brain for the answers, drawing nothing but blanks.

Baek-Hyeon noticed her face scrunching up in concentration. “Something wrong, Shuhua-ssi?”

She shook off her deja-vu. Perhaps it was just a face she had seen so many times on the street. It had to be. “No… just wondering how they’d feel about us.” she answered, setting the frame back on the shelf.

“I think they would have liked you all. Miyeon-ssi would be a certain hit and Yuqi-ssi’s humor might rub them the wrong way, but I think they would have accepted you regardless.”

“You’re kidding. I’ve spent a few years with both of them and… they can kinda get a little much.” she said sarcastically, barely able to say it with a straight face.

“I’m being honest. They’d be so happy to know that nuna is in the company of good friends, present company included.” he said with a genuine grin, a thought that comforted the young idol. They sounded like nice people. The rapping sound at the front door jolted Baek-Hyeon momentarily.

“That must be the delivery person. I’ll go get it.” he said, quickly rushing from the room to grab the delicious yukgaejang for everyone. That left Shuhua to continue scanning the room, primarily that photo of Soyeon with her family. That feeling of deja-vu came back. She felt she had seen her before. Somewhere, somehow. Had she been an amorous fan?

Then the picture itself sparked its own sense of deja vu. She had seen it before. Not in the pendant Soyeon fondly held, for that was a different picture altogether. No, she had seen it elsewhere. She looked up briefly, seeing Soyeon and Baek-Hyeon happily bring in the plastic bag laden with yukgaejang to the squeals of Yuqi and Minnie and Miyeon’s voice calling her back to the living room. Hurriedly, she took a picture of the photo before setting it back down on the end table.

She needed to know. Needed to understand why she had seen this picture before...


	10. Painting of a Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soyeon advises Soojin on her single, even as Shuhua’s own single divides her attention. Shuhua investigates her suspicion, with help from Minnie and a conflicted Miyeon. Yuqi accompanies Baek-Hyeon on a visit to Soyeon’s parents, learning more about Soyeon’s past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

As April rolled around, Shuhua could feel her nerves twitch on the edge of full blown anxiety. Her single was due to drop in a couple of weeks and she still had to do a final pass on the arrangement. She should be in the studio with Soyeon, hammering out the details and making those crucial final changes that could make or break her song. So why wasn’t she?

‘ _Reason one. Soojin needs help with her single._ ’ she mused. Soojin needed more time with Soyeon to work things. Bad as she needed that final pass, Soojin had a lot more to worry about, not the least of which was her lyrics, the most important part of any song.

‘ _Reason two… I can’t contain my own curiosity…_ ’ she looked down at the photo on her phone. The deja vu was hard to shake off, the question continuing to roll around in her head. The most illogical answer was quickly tossed out the window. Two siblings was plausible. Three and two of them happened to become idols in the same group? That bordered on ridiculous. A friendly or other familial relationship was also thrown out, since the memory felt so vague and fleeting. So a relationship in passing, a simple conversation. Which meant digging through the few locations she had been in Seoul.

She started with the agency and its surroundings, going from restaurant to restaurant, studio to studio and asking anyone if they had seen this woman come in before. Nothing sparked their memory, certainly nothing that far back. Asking for the videos was even more restrictive, not just because it was weird for a civilian to ask for them but also since they were usually cleared after 6 months to save on space.

That left the dormitory that they were currently residing in and its surroundings. Walking away from yet another house with little to show for it, Shuhua ran into Minnie and Miyeon as they were leaving to grab lunch, having taken the day off to relax. She stopped in her tracks, her shoes shuffling against the hard paved road.

Minnie seemed surprised to see her. “Shuhua-ah? You already got lunch?”

Her stomach grumbled as if on command, her hand rubbing it gently. “Not yet, unni. I’ve been a little... busy.” she said, smiling meekly.

“It’s our day off. Shouldn’t you be trying to enjoy it?”

“I will. I just… want to make sure it’s nothing.” she paused, realising that there were two more people she could ask right in front.

‘ _Maybe they saw her too. Can’t hurt to see if they know something._ ’ she thought to herself.

“I don’t suppose you remember if you met anyone… different? Stood out?” That quickly drew out the members’ innate curiosity. Minnie and Miyeon were quick to shake their hands. ‘ _Worth a shot._ ’ Shuhua nodded, accepting their answer.

“Is there a reason you’re asking, Shuhua-ah?” Miyeon asked, crossing her arms onto one another.

“You know Soyeon’s mom?” she said.

“Yeah, we met her just last week. We…” She pursed her lips as she understood what she actually meant. “Oh, you meant Soyeon’s actual mom…”

“Yes, her. Baek-Hyeon showed me this picture of her yesterday. And she looked… familiar.” she pulled out her phone and passed it to Minnie, the duo looking over it for a few moments.

“Like you met her before?” Minnie said, showing a look of interest.

“Could have been someone at a restaurant. Or someone we passed by? Maybe you’re remembering someone with similar characteristics.” Miyeon offered, unconvinced that Shuhua would have met Soyeon’s real mother beforehand.

“I thought of that, but the memory would be much more vague, I’d imagine.” she remarked. It had to have been something more… significant for her to retain the memory as it was.

“So you’ve been…” Minnie trailed off, realising that she was still holding Shuhua’s phone.

“Yep. I already checked the area around the agency.” she said in a knowing tone, graciously accepting her device back from Minnie.

“We can help you look. Right, Miyeon-ah?”

Miyeon blinked a couple of times, slightly lost in her own thoughts. “Sure. Of course.” Shuhua smiled, bowing slightly to her in thanks.

Miyeon watched as the duo amble away, starting with the house right across from them. She followed along in reluctance, her mind still consumed by Baek-Hyeon’s attempts at hiding his troubles at school. His injuries were healing rather nicely and she had not seen any fresh ones emerge. Whoever was doing this to him was easing up, but she suspected it was not out of guilt or remorse.

“Hello there. We were hoping you could tell us if you’ve seen this woman before.” Minnie handed her the phone, pointing to the woman in the The old woman adjusted her reading glasses, looking at the photo in closer detail with her body leaning in as well. Her face lit up in vague remembrance, blossoming into full recognition within the minute.

“Oh. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that woman.” she stated plainly, her body pulling back from her previous stance.

Shuhua quickly took the lead from Minnie. “You recognise her?”

The woman nodded. “I do. I believe it was about 3 years ago, give or take. It was such a sobering memory to begin with.”

“I’m sorry?” her voice inferred her confusion.

“When she passed my house, the poor woman was beside herself. I asked what was the problem, but all she would mutter was… ‘ _Another year, another year._ ’ if I recall.” she mentioned, straining to recall the next part. “I wanted to invite her in, but she refused to come in. Said she had somewhere else to be.”

“That’s all she said?” Shuhua responded.

“I’m afraid so. Sorry I could not be of more help. I do hope you find her.” she smiled, bowing gently before closing the door in front of them ever so gently. Shuhua was left with more questions than answers. Though the mystery of Soyeon’s mother’s whereabouts lined up, it still did not answer how Shuhua met her. Neither Minnie nor Miyeon could answer her in that regard, struggling to recall and separate those trainee days from each other. 

Baek-Hyeon rapped on the open door, looking at the hardworking duo leaning back in their chairs as they stared at the computer screen. “Hey, I’m about to leave for your parents’ house. Thought I’d let you know.”

“Sorry for sending you on your own, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. I’m a little swamped with work at the moment. Soojin’s single is taking a little longer than I expected and Shuhua’s been bugging me to do a pass on her single mix as well.” Soyeon flashed a sign of regret to her brother. She was already trying to plan out her schedule once Soojin and Shuhua’s singles were completed in her head.

“It’s alright... I understand completely.” he answered. Nodding once to his sister, he made to leave, only for Soojin to chime in.

“Maybe he could take a look, if you’re not in a hurry.”

He paused, mulling it over. “I’m good with writing, but songwriting is a little different, isn’t it? I don’t know how much help I could be.”

Soyeon merely tapped on the seat next to theirs in encouragement. “Just want your opinion, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. Fresh eyes… erm… ears would be best to see if we missed anything.” He shrugged his shoulders in response. He had a few minutes.

Soojin hit a button on the keyboard, the song quickly blaring out of the speakers on either side of the wall. His head nodded to the rhythm, trying to gauge what the intent of the song was about and whether it was following that very intent. That was the way he viewed songs, a form of storytelling through lyrics and beat. So focused as he was on the music that he barely registered the door opening again, a mousy haired Yuqi stepping into the room. Usually one for running her mouth, she was quick to remain silent as soon as she saw the trio huddled over the computer, not wanting to disturb them.

The music soon died down as the chorus came to an end, the young teenager slowly leaning back in his chair. He took a few moments to gather his thoughts.

“So the lyrics are about… courage and bravery, in times of uncertainty.” he asked Soojin, getting a curt nod back from the idol.

“The theme’s good. What better way to express courage than by facing the unknown?” Soyeon remarked, nudging Soojin with pride. Concept-wise, it was certainly a good way to make the implicit message seep into every part of the song.

“I think it works for the most part. The lyrics allude to the themes and the structure works. But…” he tapped on the screen, his finger pointing to a large audio section simply titled ‘ _Rap_ ’.

Soojin’s eyes trailed the point, agreeing with his assessment. “You’re talking about the rap, right? I think it’s conflicting with the whole vibe.” 

“We could remove it.” Soyeon suggested. She quickly followed up with an explanation, seeing Soojin stare at her in confusion. “Yes, it would have a different stroke to it but making it too close to our existing lineup might not let your individuality shine through.”

“Aside from that, the tone is a little heavy, too… um… melancholy for this theme. Maybe swap this part with the ending, then add some lighter lyrics to the end, signify the shift in perspective?” The confused looks prompted the teenager to give an explanation as well.

“Just as all light comes to an end at some point, so too does darkness, right?” he offered, reclining in his seat and looking to Soyeon. In his position, he noticed Yuqi giving a thumbs up as well, surprisingly remaining silent throughout as she leaned against the door frame.

‘ _That was downright inspired._ ’ Soyeon grinned, silently cheering her brother’s foresight.

“I’d need to tweak my dance routine a little but it sounds like it’d be a lot better tonally.” Soojin started scribbling some notes in her journal, giddy at the thought of the whole song coming together.

His eyes gazed at the clock above the door. Had he really been in there for 10 minutes? “Okay, I really need to go. Don’t want to keep your parents waiting.” he scrambled from his chair, throwing his jacket over his shoulder.

“Can I tag along?” Yuqi asked, finally alerting the other two to her presence.

“Why?” asked Soyeon from behind Baek-Hyeon, brow raised.

Yuqi pouted in mock disbelief, her mouth opening wide to complete the act. “I haven’t seen them in a while. It’ll be nice to see how they’re doing, unni.”

Soojin snorted. There had to be an ulterior motive. Yuqi wasn’t the type to tag along without a reason. “I’ll be sure to invite you to see my family next time, Yuqi-ah.”

Her target blanched, colour slightly draining from her cheeks. Soojin’s family was generally a little more… colourful than even the idol could handle. The last time they met, she was subject to all kinds of weird party games, none of which she enjoyed all that much. “Uhhh…” she stammered, trying to come up with a suitable answer.

“We’d better go. Unless you want to dig a bigger hole for yourself?” he said, his head motioning outside. Yuqi quickly took the out, scurrying behind him without another word. Soyeon and Soojin got a nice chuckle out of the whole experience, returning to their work almost immediately afterwards.

Ringing the bell, the most common thing in the world felt like surmounting the summit of a tall mountain for all the nervous energy Baek-Hyeon had in him. He knew what he wanted to say, what he wanted to thank them for. The ride from the agency to the humble abode where his nuna grew up for most of her life gave him enough time to formulate some key points. Still, pressing the button left his tongue in a dry state, as if salt had been poured on it.

Yuqi rolled her eyes. She had seen the young teenager act so nervous in every circumstance she had seen him that it started to feel like a joke in itself. “Is there any time that you’re not nervous, Baek-Hyeon-ssi?”

“If there is, then you know something’s wrong.” he nervously chuckled, gulping once as he adjusted his t-shirt.

She needled his right shoulder in a reassuring manner. “It will be fine, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. Soyeon-ah’s parents are very inviting. When we debuted, they insisted on throwing a small party to celebrate. Strong-armed our manager at the time into letting us be there.” A soft chuckle escaped her as the memory rushed back to her forefront of her mind.

‘ _I suppose that’s where nuna got her confidence. That just makes me even more nervous._ ’ he surmised to himself.

“Did you get drunk there too?” he couldn’t help but throw that barb at her.

Yuqi slapped his shoulder this time, grumpily retorting back at the teenager. “Is that going to be what I’m known for?” She was really regretting her decision to drink so much that night. Already her mind was coming up with ways to confer the title to the other drunkard of that night, even if it would clash with her usual moniker.

He snorted at her remark in a disbelieving manner. “You’d rather be known as the jokester?”

Yuqi punched him in the shoulder for added effect this time. “For the sake of you getting through this conversation, yes.” The teenager gulped again. Mercifully, the door swung open, revealing a portly old man and a silver-haired woman standing in the doorway. Dressed in casual, yet stylish garb, Soyeon’s parent

“Hello there… um… abeonim and eomeonim.” he panicked, eventually settling on calling them in the general term.

They both nodded, turning to smile at Yuqi warmly. “Yuqi-ssi, how nice to see you again. And this must be Baek-Hyeon-ssi.” Baek-Hyeon nodded quickly in turn.

“Please come in.” Soyeon’s mom stepped back, allowing Yuqi and Baek-Hyeon to step into the house proper. It was a slightly more classier version of Baek-Hyeon’s own abode, replete with a flat screen TV, cleaner marble floor, some more modern appliances and furniture and a working air-conditioner. The only things that felt lived in were the stacks of books strewn across the table, the small dust bunnies at the edges of the living room and the walls, showing a little bit of peeling in some areas.

“I’m terribly sorry about the mess. We haven’t really had the time to clean up lately.” Soyeon’s mother hurriedly moved to clear the books away from the table.

“It’s okay, eomeonim.“ he said, shaking his head.

Soyeon’s father spoke up this time. “Where is Soyeon-ah? Don’t tell me she’s busy again.”

“I’m grateful for being able to see her at all. She sends her regards, by the way.” he remarked, taking a seat on the sofa. Yuqi sat to his right on a small comfy chair, while Soyeon’s parents sat on the sofa with him, Soyeon’s father taking his immediate left.

“Has he been giving her trouble, Yuqi-ah?” he pointedly asked. Yuqi was quick to shake her head.

“No, sir. Baek-Hyeon has been a gentleman to her. Sadly, he reserves such kindness for her alone.” Yuqi smirked, nudging her target in the ribs with her elbow.

“Come on, you’re making me look bad.” he said, pouting ever so slightly in her direction, one hand nursing his side. Yuqi’s attack had provoked another recovering bruise, one he quickly suppressed.

“You started it. Maybe don’t start what you can’t finish.” Yuqi wore a sarcastic expression, tossing her hair back with a quick whip of her hand.

“I’ll let you know, I can…” Baek-Hyeon began to speak, a loud cough interrupting him.

“You realise we can hear you both, yes? I sometimes wonder if Miyeon-ah gets headaches worrying about such rowdy members.” Soyeon’s father snorted, rubbing his own temple to emphasize his point.

Soyeon’s mother chuckled heartily, slapping her thighs at the same time. “We are no strangers to jokes, as you can see.”

Baek-Hyeon turned to Yuqi, a knowing look on his face. “I can see why you like them.”

“She should, lest we start acting more like Soojin-ah’s parents.” Yuqi felt her face blanch for the second time that day. Once again, the duo erupted in laughter, joined in this time by Baek-Hyeon as they moved to take seats around the table. Yuqi joined, giving a half-hearted sarcastic laugh as she took her seat.

Baek-Hyeon chose to graciously accept their hospitality just a little bit longer, eating the snacks and sipping on the tea they provided the both of them. They struck up a conversation with Yuqi very quickly, the teenager listening intently and chiming in only when prompted. 

“If I could ask, what was Soyeon like when you found her? She’s never really told us much about that part of her life?” Soyeon’s parents gave a look, one that screamed, ‘ _We knew you were going to get to this._ ’ sort of expression. Soyeon’s father looked to his wife, her nod preceding her explanation.

“Well, when we found Soyeon by the road side… the poor girl was practically inconsolable. She was looking around, crying for…” “Everyone was walking past her, like she was an unwanted toy.” she paused, unable to continue her explanation. Her husband picked up the slack.

“We took her in, hoping that someone would find her eventually. As time passed and no one came, our thoughts went to other avenues.” Baek-Hyeon moved to speak, but Soyeon’s father was quick to cut him off.

“You have to understand, Baek-Hyeon. My wife and I had been told a few days beforehand that we would not be able to have children of our own. So, when Soyeon came into our lives, we saw it as a blessing, a sign of our prayers being answered.”

“So we adopted her. Officially too.” That drew his attention. For an adoption to go through legally without alerting anyone, especially the police? That seemed unlikely, but the tone of his voice indicated that Soyeon’s adoptive father was just as surprised by the development as he was.

Yuqi nervously spoke up, her eyes darting to the old woman in concern. “Did she… take it well, when you told her?”

“I think she knew, deep down... that we weren’t her real parents. She didn’t take long to accept our explanation, though the grief… knowing that she had a family that was more or less gone...” Soyeon’s mother trailed off, confirming to Yuqi why Soyeon was so very reluctant to discuss anything about her past for so long. Baek-Hyeon felt guiltier by the second, accidentally rubbing a sore spot that had yet to fully heal. He suppressed his expression, letting the pain run its course without a single soul to bear witness to it.

“By the time we told her, she was… 16, 17 years of age and she had just been accepted as a trainee. We never thought much of looking for you and your parents. I would say we thought that your family was… gone, but to be honest, we were afraid of losing her for good. We thought of her as our own.” Soyeon’s father said.

“We’re very sorry for not doing better, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. I’m sorry for what you have been put through.” Soyeon’s mother apologetically said, bowing low to Baek-Hyeon. Her husband followed suit, tears staining his wrinkled cheeks and graying beard.

“No, no. It’s okay. I… I had a long time to think on the matter.” Yuqi looked to Baek-Hyeon, hand wrapped on the edge of the couch. A tear trickled down his cheek.

“I get why. You didn’t know. How could you have known? A better scapegoat would be the police, but what good would that do now? All that mattered was that you were there, in her hour of darkness.” he said, his experience with flowery language on full display.

He smiled, dabbing at his cheek with some tissue paper, sniffling just a little. “And you took her in. You took her in, raised her, gave her love when it would have been easier to walk away. You gave her a life she loves, a life with friends that have been immensely supportive and caring. I can never begrudge the people who have given her such a gift.”

Soyeon’s mother wiped her tears away with a towel of her own. She did not expect such kindness from him, especially when he had more than enough reason to go off on them. It seemed only fair to pay him back with their own brand of kindness. “If I may, Baek-Hyeon, your parents raised you right as well. I’m sure that they’d be proud of the young man you’re blossoming into.”

“I agree with that sentiment.” Yuqi nodded, calmly smiling in unison with Soyeon’s adoptive parents. They had been expecting the worst, kicking, screaming, shouting and all manner of poor reactions from being told about this. Yet, Baek-Hyeon remained a surprise. As the evening dragged on and Soyeon’s father chatted with Baek-Hyeon about embarrassing stories with which to prank Soyeon with, Yuqi struck up a conversation with Soyeon’s mother.

“Is she handling it well?” she asked, after a few casual questions had been bandied about.

“She’s… doing the best she can. It’s been a busy few months. I think the work helps her get through it all.” she explained. It wasn’t entirely wrong. Soyeon was always one to avoid her problems with work. Stress tended to make her better at practice, even if she didn’t think it was the healthiest way to solve her problems.

Soyeon’s mother looked to Baek-Hyeon with a solemn, pitying expression, unnoticed by the two men. “It must be hard for her, being away from her newfound family for so long.”

“I know the feeling.” Yuqi sighed, rattling her fingers against the empty glass in her hand.

Soyeon’s mother internally slapped herself, realising the context very quickly. “Oh, I’m sorry, Yuqi-ah. I...”

She quickly shook her head and her feelings of it aside, the glass set down on the table. “It’s fine. I’m… used to it. Besides, everyone has been so welcoming to me. I’m not short on social circles.” She looked to Baek-Hyeon, watching him laugh cheerily at another dad joke from Soyeon’s father.

“Perhaps next time, we can have everyone over for a nice dinner. It’ll be nice to see you all again under one roof. It’s been too long since you all came over.”

“I’ll be sure to tell the others. Minnie-ah will almost certainly want your cooking again.” Yuqi replied in a warm tone, a cheeky wink in her eye. The old woman chuckled, recalling how the young idol had devoured the plates set before her, likely helped along by the gruelling diet they had been on all that time.

Soyeon’s mother glanced at the clock, hurriedly rising to her feet. “Come on, it’s getting late and I imagine Baek-Hyeon must get some rest for school tomorrow.” Yuqi nodded in response, rising as well. All in all, the day had been a fruitful one. Though it was marred by the onslaught of emotions Soyeon’s past entailed, it was certainly pleasing to see Baek-Hyeon work his innocent charm on two more people. Two more people she hoped would help the introverted teenager break out of his shell. And as she said goodbye to them, promising to walk Baek-Hyeon home, she could tell that the visit had emboldened the meek teenager from the way he carried himself.

Back at the studio, Soyeon knew she had to resist her usual urges. She had only promised to advise her, no more than that. She sat away from the computer, letting Soojin get to grips with the editing software while she stewed in thought regarding the lyrics. That was the intention, yet her mind found itself wandering to other thoughts.

Days after the concert, she opted to look into Baek-Hyeon’s finances more closely seeing as he was not exactly going to be earning any for the foreseeable future. Though he had said that he was covered for his tuition and expenses for the year, he failed to mention that it was the extent of his spare money. After another eight months, he’d be more or less penniless.

She knew a part time job wouldn’t fully cover it, not to mention the strain it would put on Baek-Hyeon. And the money she had was just enough to cover basic living expenses for the both of them, certainly not enough to pay for the next two years of his tuition. That meant more gigs. And more time away from Baek-Hyeon.

‘ _One week. Just one week…_ ’ she told herself. One week to get away from it all and devote herself fully to her family, not just Baek-Hyeon. Just two more singles to get through. After that week, she’d start to worry about his tuition...

“Okay, so let’s give this another listen.” she pressed down on the play button, cueing the song for the umpteenth time that day.

Soojin was really getting into the whole process. She wasn’t wholly unfamiliar with it, having done it so many times for their other songs. Being on the other side of the curtain was certainly a calling she did not expect to find but she was happy for the experience, doubly so for Soyeon’s continued aid. As Soyeon played the newly completed song, she let herself be carried away by the melody and the soothing sounds of her own voice.

“It sounds really good.” Soojin beamed, unable to contain her emotions of joy. Her hands gripped the headphones a little tighter than usual.

“It’s almost there. A couple of passes and we’ll have a really good draft to run past Youngsoo-nim and Cheon Da-nim.” Soyeon smiled back, recognising the emotional high Soojin was experiencing, the same one she had felt many times before.

The door to the studio suddenly swung open, Cheon Da-nim walking in with a curious look. He had wondered why he was hearing music in the studio, even when he thought (G)I-DLE was taking a personal day and the rest of the groups under CUBE out on gigs. To see two of them with their heads trained on the editing computer was a little surprising.

“Sorry... Am I interrupting something?” he asked. Soyeon noted that he was holding a manila folder in his free hand.

Soyeon turned her chair around, greeting their manager with a weary smile. “I’m just advising Soojin on something. What’s up, Cheon Da-nim?”

“The CEO got word of a new gig overseas. He wants all the group leaders and managers to meet him tomorrow to discuss it.” Soojin’s eyes glanced over to Soyeon. It was rare that the CEO let a job go up for what was practically a bidding war. Especially a gig that promised a large payout.

“I managed to grab a copy of the contract from him. Have a look at it and let me know tomorrow.” Cheon Da-nim set down the small folder next to the keyboard, smiling as he bade them goodnight, shutting the door behind him and leaving the two in silence once more. Soyeon reached for the folder, flipping through its contents. The job was fairly straightforward, similar to her previous gigs in the US. They wanted her to participate in a music video, followed by a live performance at a big event afterwards. Then her eyes landed on the amount. The number of zeroes behind the figure drew her eye. It was larger than expected.

Soojin looked at the figure with an approving nod. “Is that… the payout? Lucky you.” Soyeon’s eyes burned a figurative hole in it, the amount staring back like a provocation. It was exactly what she needed, but she would break her promise if she pursued it. Her hands gripped the folder tighter, the weight of the impending decision coming to bear on her.

“Give me a moment, Soojin-ah.” Soyeon whispered, slowly standing up to leave the studio. Soojin spun in her chair, wondering what . She didn’t need to look far. She could see Soyeon’s legs slip into view at the bottom of the door. Then she heard the dull thuds as Soyeon rammed her back against the wall, followed shortly by the pounding of her fist against the same wall. That euphoria rushing through her system was blunted, realising what her friend had sacrificed for her.

There was little she could do, but watch as her friend struggled with another choice between her work life and her family life...


	11. Risky Ventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soyeon takes on an overseas job in the hopes of earning enough money to secure Baek-Hyeon’s high school tuition. Soojin plans out her vocal session. Shuhua’s single is released to mixed reception, prompting an existential crisis. Baek-Hyeon’s school life takes a turn for the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

It was an early morning at the tail end of the month as Yeh Shuhua stepped into the CUBE Entertainment agency building, anxious about her upcoming meeting with Youngsoo-nim. Her album had dropped on Friday and the public has had the weekend to listen in and give their thoughts on the matter. Youngsoo-nim had called her in, asking to see her. Her feet skipped up the steps, humming the tune as she approached the office door.

She was a little sad that Soyeon would not be here to hear the results. Her fearless leader had hopped on a plane to the United States, working on a large contract that promised a lot of cash for her. Being stuck at practice, only Baek-Hyeon had been able to see her off, the rest of them simply saying goodbye from the comfort of their own dormitory at the crack of dawn.

“You wanted to see me, Youngsoo-nim?” she peeked her head through the door, seeing the CEO sort out some stray papers to either side of his desk. His head rose to meet her gaze, then beckoned her in.

“Please come in, Shuhua-ssi.” he said, Shuhua quickly rushing in and taking a seat across the table from him. His expression morphed gradually, as if contemplating how to break the news. Shuhua quickly noticed this change, her own face mirroring his as the cheery mood dissipated very rapidly.

“Is something wrong?” she asked timidly.

He pulled his chair closer to the table, leaning his back into it. “I suppose you may see it that way. With Cheon Da-nim accompanying Soyeon to the US, I thought it’d be best to inform you sooner rather than later.”

Shuhua felt her teeth click against one another. The tone was very… apologetic, almost prophetically so. “This is not exactly feeling me with confidence, sir.”

“No, I can’t say it is…” Youngsoo freely admitted, pulling out a sheet of paper and sliding it closer to Shuhua. She went over it very quickly, skimming the finer details to focus on the final tally. The numbers were too low, especially for an album with as much buzz like hers. 

“It’s not all bad. The numbers have been enough to cover the costs of the whole production. Profits on the other hand…” He adjusted his glasses, watching as Shuhua reached the peer review and audience review page. In many other cases, the reviews would often go in opposite directions. While getting bad reviews from her peers was far from acceptable, the audience was what counted. No such luck materialized, her eyes seeing mediocre reviews and opinions split down the middle, with a slight nudge towards the positive end.

“I… I thought it was good.” she mumbled, seeing one review that screamed indifference, the worst kind of feedback any artist could think of receiving. Her long nights of hard work flashed back through her mind.

“It was. Just…” Youngsoo trailed off, his thumbs anxiously tapping against one another. The look said volumes to Shuhua. Music to the artist, a distorted soundscape to the audience. ‘ _Soyeon had expressed some worries about it before. That it was too similar to our own house style. Why didn’t I listen?_ ’ she thought to herself, her hands starting to curl around the paper and creating creases in them.

Her mind quickly raced to the worst possible outcome. “Am I getting cut?” her hands quickly rushed to grasp at the table. 

“No, absolutely not.” He quickly shook his hands to disabuse that notion. “Your work has been exemplary thus far with the group and it shows. I just feel… that perhaps trying to break it as a solo artist may not be in the cards for you right now.” Youngsoo felt a little remorseful, watching as the young artist tried to take deep breaths to calm her anxiety. It only served to pace it out, her breathing becoming more hastened as the thought sunk in. He and Shuhua would not speak for another two minutes, the silence palpable as the weight of it all dawned on them both. Even when he spoke again, trying to bring up her spirits with promises to look into other opportunities such as acting or variety shows, Shuhua retained a numb expression throughout the meeting.

When she finally left the building in that same state of mind, she looked to the clouds above, seeing a plane fly overhead and disappear into the clouds. She wondered if that had been Soyeon’s flight. She wondered how many of her fellow idols were dashing across the country. She knew she was far from the only one with a few misses in their discography. No artist alive can claim every song they touch turns to gold. Neither was there any shortage of artists who failed at the first hurdle, only to succeed later on. Even with all those rational thoughts floating in her head, the anxiety kept her unstable. She walked away from the agency building, thinking that a long rest in a comfy bunk bed might help banish these troubling thoughts. Her friends, her fellow group members, even her curiosity regarding Baek-Hyeon and Soyeon’s mother was at the back of her mind as she disappeared into the crowd.

She felt as far away from the clouds that drifted past her view, the dawning sky barely brightening the young idol’s mood. On a plane straight to Los Angeles for the better part of a week, her eyes could not help but stare back at the retreating landmass that was South Korea. Soyeon always enjoyed their overseas trips, exploring new places, eating exotic food, seeing new people and listening to new music. Now, the thought just made her even more homesick.

Cheon Da-nim was quick to recognise her gloomy state, folding up the newspaper he had been reading. “Soyeon-ssi?”

She shook her head, her thoughts disrupted. The sounds of the airplane came roaring back into her head. “Sorry, did you call me, Cheon Da-nim?”

He tapped on his journal. “I was thinking we could go over the schedule again. We won’t have a lot of time once we land.”

“Sure. Just… give me a minute.” her voice came out in a rather half-hearted manner. Cheon Da-nim waited for her to turn her head back to him. Two whole minutes passed in relative silence before he spoke up again, Soyeon’s head un-turned and still facing the window.

“I know this is tough, Soyeon but just bear with it. You told me this was going to help pay for his tuition. Doesn’t that count for something?” Cheon Da-nim reminded her. The idol sighed, a loud exhale escaping her.

“I’ve barely spent any time with Baek-Hyeon these last two weeks. Just rushing from gig to gig, mix to mix. Task after task. I don’t feel relieved.”

The statement was weird coming from Soyeon. Had this been her as a trainee in their first year, this would not be a problem. An idol hitting her stride? Alarm bells were starting to ring. “This is the life you signed up for, Soyeon-ssi. It wasn’t easy when you were a trainee and it won’t be any easier moving forward.”

Soyeon nodded. This fact had been beaten into her years ago. “I know…” Cheon Da-nim watched as she shifted in her seat, her eyes still drawn to the outside view. “Do you think I made the right choice?”

“What are you referring to?” he asked quizzically, well aware that this lack of confidence was definitely unlike Soyeon’s usual behaviour.

“I could have asked someone else to take this job. They never mentioned me specifically. Or let another group take it on.” she said, continuing to stare at the skies outside the plane. “I feel like he’s putting in all the effort, trying to fit in and I’m just… going about like I used to do.”

She moved to elaborate her position, when Cheon Da-nim did not immediately respond. “He knows why I chose this job. He accepted it, told me that there would be time to catch up. Yet every time I walk away, I feel like I’m… not practising this dance at all...” Soyeon felt herself cringe as the language came so easily to her. Baek-Hyeon’s influence was starting to rub off on her.

“I don’t know... and I’m not going to pretend to know. I was an only child to begin with. And you’ve done plenty, given your schedule.” he remarked in plain honesty. Soyeon snorted, not entirely convinced.

“Look on the bright side. The others are warming up to him. That’s progress.” he added, turning his attention to the newspaper.

“I suppose so…” she said, head leaning back into her reclined seat. Cheon Da-nim nudged her shoulder, even as his attention was squarely on the news article in front of him.

“If I’m honest, I feel a little jealous of him.” he admitted freely.

That definitely caught Soyeon’s attention, her head turning to face him. “Really? Why?”

“His circumstances notwithstanding…, he has managed to make fast friends with your fellow members within a few months. And they’re reciprocating in kind. It took me the better part of a year before you all got used to having me around.” he explained, his expression shrouded by the newspaper now separating them.

Soyeon chuckled, unable to refute his point. His innocent charm was rather disarming in many ways. “He really knows how to endear himself to everyone, doesn’t he?” Cheon Da-nim only chuckled back in affirmative response, his back leaning into the seat as he settled in for the long flight. Soyeon smiled, watching her manager with a sense of gratitude.

“Maybe you’re right... With that kind of talent, he’ll be just fine.” Soyeon said, smiling as she stared back outside, the peninsula disappearing below as the sky stretched out before them. ‘ _Soon... I’ll be back soon._ ’ she told herself, her head leaning against the window as sleep overtook the young idol.

Confidence or rather the approximation of it was a really new thing for Baek-Hyeon. As he stepped into the school that Monday morning, he was bursting at the seams with it. His greetings were more frequent, more happy and joyful than anything he could muster up before.

He still remembered seeing off his nuna at the airport on Friday evening, rushing straight from school to the airport to say goodbye to her. Her fans were there to see her off, likely because her itinerary was leaked online. It was brief but touching, an affirmation of their growing familial bond. He, with the encouragement for his nuna ( _older sister_ ) to continue pursuing her dreams. She, with the promise that once things had finally died down, they would start seeing to fulfilling some dreams of his own for a change.

The morning was relatively calm, the lecture rather entertaining in spite of the teacher’s attempts at making it as boring as humanly possible. Ja Haeun had approached him during a short break, wanting to ask regarding his recommendation. A quick thumbs up elicited a squeal from the young teenager, her hands happily wrapping Baek-Hyeon into a grateful embrace, one he played off for laughs. Of course, that sunny disposition wouldn’t last. At lunch, Pyeong Chung-Ae marched towards his lonely table, the air of respectability hanging over him like a thin veil. In the open, he was more friendly, talkative. He even passed along a bowl of kimchi stew to him, expressing concerns that he was looking thin on the bones. Leaning in to put it on his tray, his tone was threatening, more coercive. Meet him at the usual spot or things would only get worse. 

And when he did, Chung-Ae was back at it again. A man of his word for all the good that did, he was more taunting than physical. Snide comments about his lower economic class, his naivete, mostly things about him. The three teenagers were content to egg him on, Baek-Hyeon standing still and letting the comments wash over him. Until the comments turned to mock Soyeon herself. At that, a flash of anger rumbled down his hand, Chung-Ae noticing his restraint. Smirking, he shoved Baek-Hyeon down to the ground, laughing all the while. Motioning to his two lackeys, he prepared to leave, bored with his entertainment.

Baek-Hyeon slowly rose to his feet, just as Chung-Ae was about to leave, his lackeys already out the door. “Is this fun for you, Pyeong Chung-Ae?”

He could hear the lanky teenager scoff, rubbing his ear as if he heard something incredulous, his head turning to look at the teenager. “Excuse me?”

“Is this helping? Taking out… whatever frustrations you have on me? You feel good about yourself?” he raised his voice, trying to act tough and sarcastic in the same brush.

“I told you to lose that smarmy confidence of yours, Baek-Hyeon.” Chung-Ae looked disappointed, almost resigned to his course of action as his hand released its hold on the door handle.

“Well, I want to know why. I can’t fix what’s wrong if I don’t know what the problem is in the first place.” Baek-Hyeon responded. ‘ _Or at least understand why he hates me so much._ ’

He scoffed, motioning to his two lackeys behind the door to leave him be. As soon as the footsteps shuffled away, he addressed Baek-Hyeon. “And you think you can? Fix my problem with you?”

“Better than sitting here, wondering when I’ll get the next beating.” he said, his voice shaky as his confidence started to fade out, seeing that Chung-Ae was readying to do… something.

Chung-Ae sighed, closing the door behind him with his foot. In his annoyed state, he had forgotten to properly lock it, the door drifting slightly open as he turned his attention to Baek-Hyeon. “You should have kept your mouth shut. Those beatings they gave you are nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you now.”

He shoved Baek-Hyeon to the ground again, the teenager stumbling backwards onto the floor with a surprised look on his face. Before he could react, the lanky teen rose his foot and landed it squarely on his ankle, the pop of bone followed soon after by an intense bellow of pain escaping Baek-Hyeon’s mouth, panting heavily to fight through the rolling pain.

“Oh, and if you must know, I have nothing personal against you. I simply abhor your nuna’s success. How humiliating it was for my family when they debuted the way they did.” he freely admitted, a sneer on his lips as the thought of Soyeon passed his mind. He dug his foot onto Baek-Hyeon’s heel, another groan of pain escaping the pinned teenager.

“They could have delayed their debut date by a couple of weeks and we’d be right as rain. We might have even been friends. But no… They had to muscle into our territory, take that first spot he had reserved for his company’s idols and send them packing into obscurity.” He blabbed to an increasingly worried Baek-Hyeon, the teenager shuffling back from him whilst clutching his bruised leg once Chung-Ae stepped off. Now that he knew why, he was regretting his rash decision. Not so much because of his own safety, but that his injuries were going to be much more prominent and much harder to hide away.

“Shame for you, I suppose. Now I get to pay back the humiliation her group and her CEO inflicted upon my family.” Pyeong Chung-Ae cracked his neck back and forth, bringing his foot down onto Baek-Hyeon’s open hand. He screamed, feeling the sole dig into his fingers. Chung-Ae did not relent, quickly jabbing his foot across the length of his arm to the same discordant melody of screams.

Outside, Ja Haeun watched, her cries muffled by her hands. Shakily, her hand reached for her phone and started recording the incident, wincing as he heard Baek-Hyeon scream. As soon as Chung-Ae spit on the wounded Baek-Hyeon, she ran away, unwilling to face the bullish teenager. She sat in her seat, fiddling her phone with a hint of fear, not moving even as some of her fellow students carried Baek-Hyeon down the hallway, a look of shock embedded on their faces. Her phone buzzed once, the notification clear as day at the top of the screen. CUBE Entertainment finally accepted her audition, wanting her to meet some of their artists to get a sense of their company brand. Her breath hitched once. How was she going to face Baek-Hyeon’s nuna now?

Soojin sat in her chair, humming the tune to her new song in her head. Today was her recording session for the piece, the last piece of the puzzle to slot into place before her song was more or less ready for action. The sofa behind her was occupied by the other members, taking a short break from their dance practice to give feedback to Soojin and hang out. Shuhua watched with a mixed feeling of happiness and regret, her own single preying on her mind.

She played the tune again, looking down at her notes. She hoped this one answered the feedback she had received. Her head danced back and forth to the rhythm, her body moving in concert to the beat as well. 

“Nice! That’ll definitely play well with our existing audience.” Miyeon clapped proudly, her fellow members following suit moments later. Soojin smiled, silently cheering in her mind.

“Can we see the choreography side by side?” Yuqi asked excitedly, patting either side of the couch with glee.

“Sure, let me bring it up.” Soojin spun around, hurriedly tapping away at the keyboard to pull up the file. Shuhua, sitting on one end of the couch could not help but wet her lower lip anxiously, a fact that Minnie was quick to pick up on.

“Hey, I heard about your talk with Youngsoo-nim.” Minnie said, receiving a weak nod from Shuhua in response.

“Are you feeling okay?” she asked out of concern.

“I’m fine, Minnie-ah. I’m just... trying not to think about it.” she weakly smiled back at her. Minnie wrapped her arms around her, hugging her in a show of support.

“You don’t have to be here, you know. Soojin-ah will understand if…” Shuhua quickly shook her head in response.

“No, I should be here to support her.” she said.

“Okay. Just… if you think…” Minnie didn’t need to finish her sentence.

“I will. Thank you, Minnie-ah.” Shuhua quickly nodded, grateful for her vocal support. Her head nestled against Minnie’s shoulder, watching as Soojin moved her upper body in concert to the choreography video playing next to her. ‘ _I hope yours works out better, Soojin-ah._ ’

The door to the studio opened about a minute later, a female staffer peeking out from the crack, scanning the room. As soon as she spotted Miyeon on the sofa, she held out her left arm towards her, a small white mobile phone in the palm of her hand.

“Miyeon-ssi? There’s a call from the hospital for you.”

“Is something wrong?” she rose quickly from the sofa.

The woman shrugged her shoulders, continuing to hold out the phone. “They wouldn’t say. All they asked for is you.” Miyeon thanked her, taking the phone and holding it up to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hi, there. This is Doctor Beon Mal-Chin from the Asan Medical Center. Am I speaking to a… Cho Miyeon?” the voice responded, the rustle of paper audible in the backdrop.

“Yes, this is her speaking. Is something wrong?” she asked.

“I’m calling because a recent patient of ours, one Hak Baek-Hyeon listed you as his secondary emergency contact.” The name shocked Miyeon, to say the least. She didn’t have to guess what had occurred, only that it had to be uncharacteristically cruel for him to be in the hospital for it. Recovering from that shock, she was quick to pick up on the thread again.

“Secondary? What about the primary contact?”

“The patient requested that he wanted us to call you first. Said he made a mistake with the paperwork.” Miyeon wanted to be surprised, but knew that this was in keeping with Baek-Hyeon’s personality. ‘ _Stubborn like his nuna…_ ’ she could not help but think.

“What happened to him?” Miyeon asked, pressing the phone closer to her.

Soojin watched as Miyeon’s expression grew more and more anxious as the call continued. She never spoke, only listened. The other members started to rise to their feet, looks of concern worn on their face. The call lasted for another two minutes before Miyeon nodded once, thanking the caller on the other end before setting the phone down on the table in front of her, a dazed look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Shuhua asked, peeking from behind Yuqi.

“Baek-Hyeon’s in the hospital.” she responded quietly.

“What?!” Soojin was quick to respond, her expression of disbelief mirroring that of her fellow members. Yuqi and Shuhua looked mortified, eyes wide with surprise. Minnie was the first to snap out of it of her momentary silence, reaching for her purse and pulling out her phone.

“I’ll call us a cab. Which hospital is it?” she hastily said, throwing up the app as she raced out the door. The others followed soon after as soon as Miyeon supplied the name, even Soojin, the single the farthest thing on their mind. As they raced downstairs to meet their cab, all they could think about was how bad it was and the reason why...

The doctor was quick to explain the entire story. The school had called to transport the injured Baek-Hyeon to the medical facility, accompanied by the principal of the school as Soyeon was out of reach. He explained to Miyeon that he had claimed to have fallen down a flight of stairs, crawling into the bathroom to hide his shame as best as he could. The principal shared the same equally elaborate and obviously tall tale, which of course didn’t fly with the idol. 

“You cannot honestly believe that he’s telling the truth. Look at him and tell me if you think that’s from falling down a flight of stairs.” she pointed towards the room at the resting Baek-Hyeon.

“I’m afraid that he is insisting on his story. There’s little I can do without his express permission or an accusation.” The principal responded, clearly as upset by the situation, though Miyeon couldn’t tell whether it was out of genuine concern for Baek-Hyeon or what his accusation could mean for the school.

“Surely, that is not stopping you from launching some sort of inquiry.”

“Were this but a simple case, I would be inclined to agree with you. Sadly, Baek-Hyeon has run afoul of a boy who is very influential with our board of directors. I cannot do that without something concrete.” he explained, affirming Miyeon’s suspicions.

“That doesn’t justify…” Miyeon retorted, the side of her lip twitching in anger.

The principal sighed again, rubbing his temple. “It does not, but unless Baek-Hyeon is ready to confess the true nature of his injuries, my hands are tied.”

“At least give us the name. If he’s capable of this…” The man quickly cut her off, not wanting to waste his time or hers for that matter.

“I’m really sorry, Miyeon-ssi. My hands are tied. I do wish Baek-Hyeon-ssi a speedy recovery. Please give my sincerest regards to him when he wakes.” The man gave a weak bow, gulping once before he left Miyeon. Walking past the others as they sat in anticipation, he flashed them a sympathetic look as well, but the old man received four pairs of disappointed stares, barely glancing back at him once Miyeon rejoined the rest of them.

“Well?” Yuqi was the first to ask.

“Unless Baek-Hyeon makes a formal complaint, they can’t do anything. And whoever it was, they said he was very important to the school.”

Yuqi slumped back into her seat, clearly surprised by the turn of events. “I know I joked about this being like a drama, but…” she trailed off, seeing that none of her fellow members were in the mood to appreciate the joke.

“How bad is it?” Minnie piped up.

“He needed to have casts put on one of his arms and one of his legs.” She stopped explaining, seeing Shuhua shudder at the mental image.

“Do you know when this started?” Shuhua asked.

“I don’t know. I only found out about it the week before the concert.” As her confession escaped her lips, four pairs of eyes widened, ready to accuse Miyeon of hiding such a horrendous thing from them. She knew she needed to respond quickly.

Miyeon held her hands out calmly to them. “He insisted. I think he was worried we would tell Soyeon-ah.”

“We are telling her, right? I mean, this is not something we can hide.”

“We are.” Miyeon affirmed to them, walking back to the room with a heavy heart.

It was hard to ignore the rhythmic beep of the monitors as Miyeon entered the room. Like any good artist, she had to be very good at picking up the nuances in performances to learn and improve on them. But that meant being able to find the music in anything, even if the situation right now did not call for it. Her feet shuffled towards the bed, the occupant slowly rising up to meet her gaze. Seeing them a second time did not reduce the nausea that threatened to overtake her.

“Hi, Miyeon-ssi.” he weakly said, trying not to reveal any hints of pain in his voice.

“I…” he started to speak, stopping when he felt Miyeon slap him on his shoulder before sitting down on the chair next to his bed.

“Oww…” he mumbled, rubbing his shoulder tenderly with his unbandaged arm.

“You dumb idiot.” Miyeon uttered plainly.

“Explain yourself. Explain why I’m standing in a hospital when you mentioned that you would handle it yourself.” she said, looking at him with expectant eyes. Baek-Hyeon sighed, taking a calming breath before speaking up.

“Not everyone… understood my parents’ obsession. Least of all my eomeonim’s side. She was just… unsympathetic. Always saying that it had been years and that it was time to let it go. Her brother, my uncle was very vehement. He couldn’t imagine their grief being so… persistent.” He stopped, his mind briefly overtaken by wondering what he was doing at this moment.

“They didn’t speak after that. When he came to the funeral, he… broke down in front of me. Crying that the last time he spoke to her was in anger, rather than understanding.”

Miyeon sat upright, arms on her thighs. “You think Soyeon is like that?”

“I think… there’s only so much you can put your family through. They have limits to how much they can handle too. Everyone has a different capacity for it, but if you push it…” he trailed off briefly. “She has built something with her life. I’m not going to take that from her. I don’t want her to resent me for that.” he affirmed his stance, eyes welling up with emotion.

“So, was I wrong? When I said before that you thought so little of us? That you believe she doesn’t care about you more than our careers?” He paused, the words to refute her failing to find its footing in his throat.

“Baek-Hyeon-ssi, I get why you don’t want to hurt her. But this? Not telling her will do it anyway. If you don’t give her a chance to show that she cares, then you’ll never be certain.” Miyeon’s voice was a little sterner. Baek-Hyeon’s eyes narrowed, his voice finding itself again.

“I’ll recover. I’ll be out of the hospital before she gets back.” he replied in open defiance, unwilling to cede his ground. He wiped at his eyes before the tears could fully form.

“And the next time? Are you going to make us lie to her? Our friend?” she pointedly asked. He was lost for words again. He didn’t want to do that either.

She huffed in exasperation, preparing to leave the room. “I’m telling…”

“Don’t let me interrupt this touching moment.” a voice called out in a low menacing chuckle. Miyeon rose to her feet, seeing a lanky teenager in school uniform resting his hand by the door, a wide smirk on his face. She turned to see Baek-Hyeon, his expression laced with absolute fear, pushing further back into the bed.

‘ _This is him._ ’ she surmised, her protective instincts quickly kicking in. As he approached, Miyeon stepped in front of him, blocking much of Baek-Hyeon from his view.

“Hello there, Baek-Hyeon. I hope you’re doing well.” He approached, hands clutching a small greeting card, the words ‘ _Get Well Soon!_ ’ ironically emblazoned on the inside. As he set the card down on the bedside table, Miyeon circled Baek-Hyeon to keep between the two of them.

“What...what are you doing here?” he stammered, holding onto the sheets tightly.

He ignored Baek-Hyeon’s question, turning instead to greet Miyeon. “Where are my manners? Pyeon Chung-Ae. I’m one of Baek-Hyeon’s classmates.” his hand extended to her.

“Did you do this?” she bluntly asked, refusing to even acknowledge the gesture.

Again, he ignored the question as he pulled the hand back. A sinister grin plastered his face. “I like your music. It really has a nice ring to it.”

“If you ever touch him again, we’ll…” she stepped forward, only to be taken aback by the lanky teenager’s flippancy, his back arching to accommodate the sudden invasion of space.

“Will what? I’m merely visiting a friend. A clumsy friend who tripped on a flight of stairs, if I heard correctly.” Chung-Ae replied matter-of-factly, stepping away from her and moving to the bed.

“I see you broke your promise. I told you to keep your mouth shut.” He said clearly, not bothering to be discreet.

He heard Miyeon’s voice raise an octave higher, her eyes narrowing into angry slits, her hand pointing towards the door firmly. “Get out.”

Once more, he ignored her and leaned down closer to Baek-Hyeon. “Seems like you haven’t really learned your lesson. And you know I can’t abide by a lesson that isn’t taught properly.”

A harsh voice echoed from the doorway. “You heard her the first time.” Miyeon felt relief wash over her as she saw Soojin enter the rooms, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the rude teenager. Pyeong Chung-Ae watched as Soojin was flanked by Shuhua and Yuqi on her left, Minnie on her right, all of the idols cracking their necks back and forth in unison like it was a dance rehearsal.

“It’s time for you to leave.” Soojin remarked coldly, motioning towards the door.

Chung-Ae sneered, rising slowly and facing the assembled group. Even as they stared him down, he still had the nerve to chuckle mockingly. “Shall I be expecting a visit from you all tomorrow?” No-one bothered to respond. He answered for them.

“I can assure you it’ll be a waste of time. Besides, you idols have a lot more important things to worry about than some nobody, right?” He emphasised the word ‘ _nobody_ ’ as he thumbed towards the cowering form of Baek-Hyeon, the sheets pulled taut around his face.

“See you in school, Baek-Hyeon. Hope you get well soon.” he grinned evilly. Staring down the lineup, he realised that the target of his ire wasn’t among them. ‘ _Shame. Seems she’ll be the last to hear about this._ ’ he shrugged, pushing past Shuhua and Yuqi on his way out, humming a cheerful tune as if nothing major had happened. The five idols watched in stunned silence, unable to contemplate just how Baek-Hyeon managed to run afoul of such a disturbed individual.

Miyeon had wasted no time as soon as she and the other members had managed to get Baek-Hyeon to relax and fall asleep, her eyes glancing at the room even as the phone rang and Cheon Da-nim’s groggy voice answered back. When he did reply, he was just as shocked to hear about Baek-Hyeon’s situation. As the explanation rolled around, the more worried his tone got.

“Who did he piss off?” he asked the all-important question.

“Someone named Pyeong Chung-Ae.” Miyeon readily supplied.

She could hear him audibly groan, the name seemingly recognisable to the manager. “You know him?”

“Pyeong Chung-Ae is the son of a well-known agency CEO... A CEO who happens to be good friends with Youngsoo-nim. We’ll need to tread carefully on this.” Cheon Da-nim replied, omitting which agency the CEO was a part of.

In effect, Cheon Da-nim was telling her that Baek-Hyeon’s bully would see no consequences. “So you’ll do nothing?!”

“I’ll speak with Youngsoo-nim about this, but…” Cheon Da-nim paused, giving Miyeon time to respond in a more blunt fashion.

“You can’t guarantee he’ll listen.”

“Beyond paying for the medical fees, no. Not without solid proof.” A hand wave of an answer, one she had already heard.

“We need to tell Soyeon about this.” she affirmed her stance.

Cheon Da-nim quickly responded, his tone a little panicked and in a low whisper. “When we get back. It’s taking a little longer than expected, so she’ll be back within a week, maybe two.”

“She needs to focus. She’s supposed to start recording tomorrow. This will only distract her.” he explained quickly, the sounds of shuffling equipment and footsteps in the background punctuating the conversation.

“And what about us? We’re supposed to just get on with our lives while Soyeon-ah’s namdongsaeng sits in a hospital bed?!” she said angrily, clutching the phone tightly.

“Look, I said I’ll talk to Youngsoo-nim. I’ll… I’ll figure something out. Okay? I need to go.”

“Wait, Cheon Da-nim…?!” Miyeon called out, even as the beep on the other end was telling enough. Fuming, he switched off her phone. She understood where he was coming from, but it felt wrong, like she was stretching open the wound that was sure to follow. She sighed, staring up at the ceiling as she heard the telltale footsteps of Minnie behind her, followed by three other pairs trailing behind.

“How is he, Minnie-ah?” Miyeon asked her, stuffing the phone back into her small pouch.

“Shaken up. He… doesn’t really want to talk about it.” Minnie said, her look speaking volumes. Baek-Hyeon had his walls up. There would be no talking to him tonight. She tapped on her phone, the clock showing 8:00PM.

“It’s getting late. Let’s get some dinner. I’ll explain along the way.” Miyeon offered. The rest quickly nodded, too tired and hungry to argue. As the group walked away, Miyeon couldn’t help but look back at the room, the dim fluorescent light filtering past the window. She hoped that her display of protectiveness would be enough to convince the stubborn teenager of their intentions. She hoped that things would get back to normal, to some semblance of it at least.

‘ _It has to. It just has to._ ’ she repeated to herself, racing to catch up with the rest of the group, her thoughts hopping to something a little more upbeat like the kind of food Baek-Hyeon wouldn’t mind having to cheer him up. ‘ _Perhaps chikin (fried chicken)?_ ’ she smiled, hurrying to catch up to her fellow members.


	12. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soojin puts the finishing touches on her single. Yuqi, Minnie and Miyeon try to figure out their debts. Soyeon finds out about Baek-Hyeon’s secret in the worst possible way. Shuhua uncovers the connection between her and Soyeon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Her plane had touched down a mere two hours ago and Soyeon was already rushed through the airport, back into the van and straight down to the agency. Apparently, a new batch of trainees had come in, the CEO wanting to show the prospective trainees around the place and introduce them to their peers. Them being just her, seeing as most of the other groups were busy with their own and her fellow members were busy on a personal errand. For whom, even Cheon Da-nim would not say. Regardless, she was looking forward to seeing them again, having been away for a week and a half. It felt good to be back home, back to a more relaxed schedule and finally being able to make good on her promise to Baek-Hyeon.

Cheon Da-nim watched warily from outside of the training room, looking at the watch with a sense of dread. He had promised the others that they could tell Soyeon together. They had left early in the morning to visit him, wanting to make sure that he had not been visited by his bully and that he was well taken care of. They said they’d be here within the hour. He didn’t know how much longer he could stall her. His eye went down to the watch, then to the front door.

Back inside, Ja Haeun paced around the training room as the clock continued to tick, the sound exacerbating her nervousness. Soon enough, her idol walked through the side door, one hand carrying a large silver boombox and dressed in comfortable yet fashionable dancing attire. She rushed to greet her, unable to wait any longer.

“Hello. I’m Ja Haeun. It’s an honour to meet you, seonbae ( _senior_ ).” she nervously replied, bowing low in respect to her senior. Soyeon smiled, bowing in kind and shaking the young teenager’s hand.

“I’m Soyeon. Nice to meet you at last, hubae ( _junior_ ).” she smiled warmly, taking in Haeun’s entire appearance. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, her dance attire consisting of a comfy red jacket, a black tank top and comfy brown pants. If she didn’t know any better, she would think Ja Haeun was as old as her, rather than being around Baek-Hyeon’s age.

Her brow rose in surprise, her hand pressed against her chest. “You know me, seonbae?” she asked in awe, her voice slightly higher pitched than before.

“Baek-Hyeon-ssi had nothing but kind words about you.” she said, setting down the boombox near the wall.

“Oh, I see.” She shuffled uncomfortably, hints of guilt already worming its way into her thoughts. Her eyes glanced briefly at her phone.

“Don’t worry, hubae. I had a look at your audition beforehand. You wouldn’t have gotten this far without some level of skill, recommendation or not.” Soyeon assured the jittery Haeun, her head running through the dance routine one last time.

“Thank you, seonbae. It means a lot.” Haeun bowed again. Soyeon chuckled in a warm manner. She had seen a lot of fellow trainees with the same kind of nervous yet excited energy. At least her commitment and enthusiasm was ever present. The worst kind of student was the kind that didn’t care enough.

“Well, don’t thank me just yet. An audition video is one thing. A live performance is another. I’ll demonstrate first, then you’ll try to match me.” she said, a nod coming from the trainee. As soon as her finger hit play on the boombox and the music started to warm up, she quickly moved into position, tossing aside the jacket she had been wearing to one side.

She decided to stick with the classic, the sound of their debut song LATATA blaring on the boombox speakers as she launched into the routine. Her mouth was quick to sync up to the lyrics, her body already relearning the moves on the fly. Haeun watched in awe as her seonbae put on a one woman show for her benefit, though she knew she needed to pay attention for her own performance afterwards. Exactly 3 or so minutes later, Soyeon panted as she flashed her ending pose to Haeun, the young wannabe idol clapping furiously in response as the music slowly winded down to its natural conclusion.

Exhausted from the double whammy of jet-lag and dancing, Soyeon shambled towards the edge of the room like a zombie, smiling weakly as Haeun took her place in the center of the room. “Okay… Now let’s see what you got.” she said, pressing down on the play button and letting the music overtake the room’s atmosphere yet again.

She watched the teenager swiftly move into place, her movements quickly trying to match her previous performance. Unlike Soyeon, her moves were slightly jerky and offbeat, which made Haeun blush in embarrassment. Her lip syncing was just as off as well, sometimes mouthing words that weren’t even in the song. Soyeon was about to stop halfway through, worried that her problems were too many to count only for her mistakes to gradually dissipate the longer the song went on. Her moves were more smoother, her face was contorting into the right expressions and she was genuinely having a good time, rather than memorising beat for beat entirely. ‘ _She’s got performance fright, so she needs time to get into the groove. Not ideal, but not completely insurmountable._ ’ she noted down mentally. 

Soyeon nodded in her direction, clapping softly once the song came to an end much to Haeun’s delight. “Good work, hubae. Let’s take five. We’ll go over the assessment in more detail once you’ve had a moment to breathe.” Haeun readily nodded her head, stepping out to grab a quick drink. ‘ _She seems happy with my performance. I just need to keep at it…_ ’ she told herself, never looking back as she walked down the hallway.

Soyeon took deep breaths as she sat down on the floor, a moment to relax finally in her grasp. The assessment her fellow members had provided was accurate. Ja Haeun had the skill needed to break into the industry. She just needed to smooth out some truly rough edges. It seemed like an easy slam dunk of a recommendation, certainly much more defendable as a favor to Baek-Hyeon. She fumbled her phone, realising that her namdongsaeng had not called her since she landed. She reached for her phone, only to see Haeun’s phone next to it, the screen alive and on her camera.

‘ _Probably just recorded my session._ ’ she mused, curiosity piqued. Sure enough, the first video she saw was her own performance, a little on the rough side considering she was still jet-lagged. She swiped on the device, the next video framed on a bathroom door that was slightly ajar ‘ _Was she a voyeur? I hope not..._ ’ she thought to herself, pressing play on the video.

The video played and the sight of it looked familiar. She saw Baek-Hyeon first, on the floor speaking to someone standing above him. The camera was so focused that the teenager above him wasn’t visible. Then the beating. Soyeon heard her namdongsaeng scream in pain as the foot came down on his hand, the sounds blurring into a nightmarish haze. The video continued to play out the painful assault, the end culminating in a garbled warning from his attacker, her brother whimpering in pain, tears running down his cheeks as he tried to avoid biting down on his tongue.

‘ _Baek-Hyeon…_ ’ she thought to herself, unable to contain her grief. Why was this video on her phone? Why didn’t she say anything? Why did she film this at all and do nothing? Did she ask, knowing what this boy was doing to him?

Ja Haeun walked in, a smile on her face as she stretched her arms out in the air with refreshed energy. A smile that quickly disappeared when her ears picked up the screaming. She looked at Soyeon, her eyes still glued to the video. The door closed with an audible click behind her, alerting her to Haeun’s presence. She paused the video, her head turning to look at her. She wanted to confess, explain it all away but the look Soyeon was throwing at her made her shrink back in fear.

The idol stood shakily to her feet, having set aside the phone. Her eyes glared angrily at Haeun, the girl shrinking in deference to her seonbae. She had no words, nothing for the young girl who ostensibly had a chance to step in but didn’t. The girl that Baek-Hyeon went to bat for. Her presence felt insulting to Soyeon, like an aberration, even if some sane part of her knew that Ja Haeun wasn’t the person she should be angry with.

She pushed her aside roughly, darting out of the training room with a shortness of breath. Everything felt it was spinning, her grip on reality seemingly tenuous as the video played over and over again in her head like an obnoxious song you can’t get out of your head. She made for the door, bumping into a clearly confused Cheon Da-nim, his eyes tracing the idol’s unsteady movements.

“Soyeon-ssi? What’s wrong? Did one of the trainees do something?” he asked first and foremost. Soyeon had a mind to punch him. How could he be thinking about practice right now?! Her rational mind took hold briefly, mumbling an apology to him.

“I’m sorry… I need to… I need to do something…” she stammered, moving past him and making straight for the main door, her feet skipping as many steps on the stairs as she could manage. There would be time for proper words later.

“Soyeon-ssi!” he called out, moving to chase after her. He paused when he heard the training room door swing open behind him. Turning his head around, he saw a distraught Ja Haeun step out, her hand clutched around her phone, a phone that was playing a video of Baek-Hyeon screaming in pain as a teenager stood over him. His eyes lit up with dawning horror.

‘ _Oh, no…_ ’ he surmised, sighing as he watched Soyeon exit the building in a hurry. This day was turning sour really quickly. Chasing after her would only delay the inevitable, after all. He dreaded the way his feet shuffled automatically towards the CEO’s office, but he couldn’t ignore what he needed to do. He passed Ja Haeun, throwing a sympathetic look to her. He did not want to think what Soyeon would do once she had settled down, but he knew it would not be kind. Ja Haeun crumbled to her knees as soon as he passed her, unable to find the energy to stand, the video playing in the background in haunting fashion.

Yuqi stepped out of the van, having had a looming sense of dread sitting in the pit of her stomach on the ride over. Even after agreeing that Soyeon needed to be told about her namdongsaeng’s situation, she was feeling extremely reluctant to do so. Not as much as Baek-Hyeon though. When they had told him their intent earlier this morning, he was insistent on leaving the hospital that very moment, hoping to simply convince her that he had truly had an unfortunate accident. Miyeon and Soojin were quick to act though, having wrestled him back into bed and told him in no uncertain terms that they were not going to lie about it for him. That quickly resigned the teenager to his fate, laying back onto the hospital bed with a sigh as they left to return to the agency.

The discussion about who would broach the subject during the long drive back was the only argument they had. Some thought the onus fell on Miyeon, since she knew about it the longest. Others believed that Shuhua might be more suited to the task. All Yuqi wanted to do was distance herself, letting the others discuss it in the parking lot while she made her way towards the building. Her eyes quickly landed on Soyeon, her form marching out the door in a harried state, her hand pressing her phone to her ear until her eyes caught Yuqi’s presence.

She watched as Soyeon marched out towards the parking lot, her phone already being stuffed into her jeans pocket. “Soyeon-ah? Is the evaluation over already? You must have…” Yuqi waved over, Soyeon changing tact and walking towards her with a brisk walk.

“Where’s Baek-Hyeon-ssi?” she asked immediately, looking a little frantic. That threw Yuqi for a loop. Did Cheon Da-nim already tell her? If he didn’t, should she be the one to tell her? She glanced sideways to the parking lot, where the others were undoubtedly discussing how to broach the subject.

“He… um…” Yuqi stammered, trying to come up with something resembling an answer. Soyeon’s expression darkened further, her mind already putting the puzzle pieces in place in quick order. She took a step towards the young idol, her chest heaving in and out with rage. Yuqi backed away instinctually, only solidifying her guilt in the process.

“You knew…” she stammered out, continuing to advance on the young idol, her hands shaking uncontrollably by her side.

“Soyeon-ah, I… gahrrkk!” Yuqi stopped as Soyeon lunged forward, grabbing ahold of Yuqi’s jacket and slamming her against the wall. She groaned in audible pain, her eyes staring at Soyeon’s with a look of fear in them. She had never seen her fearless leader this angry before, certainly not at any of them and almost definitely not in such a violent fashion.

“You knew?!” she screamed, drawing attention from some of the employees who were in the process of exiting the building. They paused, wondering if they needed to intercede on their altercation. Her hands leaned in further, pressing Yuqi further into the wall, anger overriding her logic.

“Soyeon-ah, stop!” she heard Miyeon’s voice call from behind. Soyeon felt two hands pull her off of Yuqi, Yuqi gasping as the grip on her was relinquished as she sunk to the ground. She saw from her periphery two figures, Shuhua and Minnie rush past her and bend down to care for Yuqi. Again, the light bulb went off in her head and she yanked herself out of Miyeon’s grasp, rounding on the group very quickly, hair fraying at the edges.

“Did everyone know?! How long?!” she screamed, her hand now pointed at the group.

“We were going to tell you, Soyeon-ah. After you finished the evaluation. Cheon Da-nim said not to bother you on your gig.” The statement from Miyeon only enraged her further, making her regret not listening to her instincts earlier.

“How long?!” she bellowed at them.

Miyeon replied quickly. “A month ago. When you asked me to pick him up from school.”

Soyeon quickly advanced on Miyeon, her right hand balled into fists. The others watched in sheer terror as their friend stalked towards Miyeon, pointing an accusatory finger in her direction. “So… you knew for a month that my… my namdongsaeng was being bullied… beaten up like a chew toy... and you said nothing?!” she said, her eyes bulging in disbelief and anger.

“He asked me not to, begged me more or less.” her hands clapped together in a pleading motion, tentatively backing away from Soyeon.

The excuse did not fly with Soyeon, her face now directly in front of her fellow idol. “You should have told me anyway, Miyeon-ah!” she spat out.

“I wanted to!” she cried out in anguish and guilt, momentarily breaking Soyeon’s rage. The others looked at Soyeon with equally guilty expressions, just as torn up by the secrecy as Miyeon was. “I did... I’m sorry I didn’t, Soyeon-ah. He looked so afraid that we’d… that we’d cut and run to save our careers... over him. I was trying to convince him to tell you himself.” she said, straining to maintain eye contact with her friend. That explanation shocked them, unable to fathom how Baek-Hyeon had arrived at such a preposterous conclusion. Only Soojin wasn’t as surprised, though hearing Miyeon say it out loud still had some impact.

Her head swivelled to the others behind Miyeon. “And the rest of you?”

Minnie answered. “We found out a week ago, unni. When we went to visit him in the hospital.” The last word made her eyes bulge even larger. That it got to the point of him having to be in the hospital was beyond the pale to her. The veneer of control was slipping away from her. What little she had to spare was focused on not letting her anger get the better of her again.

“Look, I told him we were going to tell you. As soon as you were done with your evaluation. We just came back from the hospital for that exact reason.”

Soojin cautiously approached them, eyes trained on Soyeon. “How did you find out, Soyeon-ah?”

“His classmate.” Their looks got more confused. “The new trainee, Ja Haeun. She had… she had recorded a video of it. Someone was standing over him, stepping on him...” Soyeon trailed off, biting her lip at the mere thought of that video playing back in her head. The wince in her eye was enough of a hint to the idol.

Soojin snorted, remembering the teenager vividly. “That bastard…” she said, quickly drawing Soyeon’s attentive ears to it.

“You know who it is?” her eyes focused on Soojin.

“His name is Pyeong Chung-Ae. He was… very impolite.” Soojin said plainly, the disgust in her voice coming through.

“He’s the son of one of Youngsoo-nim’s friends, though.” Yuqi answered meekly.

It was gut punch after gut punch to her mental state. Gyeong Youngsoo rarely had friends outside of his profession, so she needed little to connect the dots. “So, he’s an… agency CEO’s son.” her tone sounded dire in its assessment of the situation.

Miyeon moved to comfort Soyeon, her hand reaching for her shoulder. “Look, we can all go…”

Soyeon violently ripped away, pulling back with a look of fury in her eyes. The fact was just too much for her to let slip by. “Don’t! Just don’t!” The others recoiled back in fear, watching as she backed away from them with a hurt expression in her eyes. Realising her outburst, she kept her hands to her sides, not fully trusting herself.

“I need to do this. Alone. Okay?” Soyeon said softly, eyes staring them down. She brushed a hair over her messy hair, smoothing it out as best as she could. 

Miyeon responded quietly. “Okay, unni.” Soyeon walked past them in a daze as soon as she had answered, hailing down a nearby cab to race to the hospital on her own. As the cab drove away, her gaze fell on the retreating idols as they walked back inside, all huddled around Yuqi. She started to hyperventilate, the wave of conflicting emotions overwhelming to her. She wanted so badly to pull out her phone and shoot them an apology text, but she stopped. There were far greater concerns preying on her mind.

They were all huddled in the editing studio not long after the confrontation outside, Soojin putting all her effort into finishing off the single by herself. Soyeon’s presence was sorely missed, but she knew that their friend needed time. Time away from everyone to process her feelings, to calm down. Her gaze turned briefly to Yuqi, massaging her shoulders while Minnie, Miyeon and Shuhua looked over her with affectionate care. She had suggested doing dance practice instead, but the others declined. If they could not be there for Soyeon, being here for Soojin’s single would more than suffice. Even if only in spirit, rather than something concrete, considering the stage in the process it was at.

She sighed as she leaned back in her reclining office chair, unable to fully concentrate on her work. The mood had swung to a darker shade and it was hanging over everyone like a dreary cloud. Even after Yuqi said she was fine and everyone tried to remain quiet while she worked, she could tell their minds were just as stuck on Soyeon’s outburst. Her own mind was staring blankly at the audio tracks, unable to separate the beats from one another or find the mental capacity to internally critique the piece. ‘ _I hope she’s okay. That video isn’t exactly subtle._ ’ she found her thoughts wandering.

“How much does everyone still owe?” she broached a different subject, turning her chair around to face them. The immediate question took the other idols by surprise.

“Huh?” Shuhua responded, the first to break from her stupor.

Soojin repeated herself, sitting more upright. “How much?”

“Why are you asking that now, unni?” Yuqi chimed in, still nursing her shoulder.

“It’s either that or we talk about what happened, Yuqi-ah. I don’t think anyone wants to go for option two, right?” Soojin said pointedly. Silence followed. No-one could argue against the point. The distraction was very much welcomed in this case, Yuqi slumping back onto the sofa.

“I think it’s about a 100 million won (USD 80,000) for each of us.” Minnie said, recalling the spreadsheet Gyeong Youngsoo had shown her a few months ago. ‘ _Before…_ ’ she stopped her train of thought, realising where it was headed.

“That’s not counting the costs we accrue each month.” Miyeon pointed out.

“So, about… 500 million won in total.” Soojin sighed, nodding as she tried to calculate out what they needed to do to meet that amount. In her head, she was already trying to predict her single’s success, though that optimism was blunted by Shuhua’s mixed reception on her single.

“We discussed what we were planning on doing last time. Some offers came through. Maybe we go over them, see what’s on the table?” Miyeon said. Yuqi and Minnie nodded in agreement. Shuhua was a bit more downcast, her head looking down to the floor, while Soojin was lost in thought to really take in the suggestion.

“Look, maybe…” Yuqi started to speak, her hand raising ever so slowly.

“She won’t help us, if that’s what you’re suggesting.” Minnie said, already anticipating her answer.

Yuqi groaned at the interruption, her arm pointing towards the general direction of the door. “Give her some time to cool down. We’ll…”

“Even if she does, we need to settle our own debts as best we can. Soyeon has bigger things to worry about for now.” Miyeon threw her two cents into the ring, her arms folded over one another.

“I know that. But working together…” Once again, Minnie cut her off.

“Will she even want to? After what just happened?” she said, rising from the sofa and turning to face Yuqi directly.

“How can you say that, Minnie-ah?” Yuqi said, rounding on Minnie. The argument quickly devolved from there, each person arguing the best way to talk with Soyeon. The irony was not lost on Soojin, even as she tried her best to return the conversation back to its original intent.

As the rest began to argue back and forth, Shuhua was left to her own devices. In that space, her mind went back to consider the mystery of Soyeon’s mother. She strained to recall the memories of the dormitory, anything that stood out of the countless times she entered and exited their home away from home. The world melted away, the conversation slowly fading into the background as she let her mind settle into a meditative space. The memories came faster, flying at her like a collage of photos. It finally clicked moments later, her jubilation at her discovery soon giving way to abject shock.

“Oh, no.” she said quietly, realising the gravity of the encounter. Had it been any other day and any other place, it would be less dire. But she remembered it now. Remembered that she had talked to Soyeon’s mother right outside of their dormitory as she left the building last to join up with the others. On the day that was Soyeon’s birthday. The words she spoke made more sense now, only making the sting worse. None of the others save Soojin noticed as she gently rose from the couch and walked out, unable to handle the noise any longer.

Soyeon had rushed into the hospital and straight up to Baek-Hyeon’s room, after a frantic inquiry at the front desk. She stopped, her face mortified at the sight of her brother, sitting in a hospital bed and sleeping soundly. His left arm was wrapped in a cast, while his right leg was propped up high, also sporting a cast of its own. His face bore scars across his cheeks, barely plastered over by bandages in certain places. Her hand moved to the door, ready to step in.

Yet she paused, hand still firm on the door handle. She had made a promise to her parents and she had failed at the first hurdle. Could she have noticed had she been there? How did everyone else see what she didn’t? She remembered the concert and the celebrations soon after, recalling the many times it seemed like Baek-Hyeon was in pain. Miyeon’s short responses to him, almost disapproving in nature. Her hand fell away from the handle, eyes welling with tears as she watched Baek-Hyeon sleep, as if he wasn’t wearing casts on his extremities.

‘ _I don’t deserve to be here..._ ’ she thought to herself. She pulled away, watching from outside the window. It didn’t feel right, to come in and offer solace when her duty as his nuna was to protect him. That he had hidden it out of fear of her rejecting him and choosing her career stung the worst, a notion she knew could have only been helped by her recent distant behaviour due to work. So she walked away in great reluctance, wiping the mascara stained tears from her cheeks. Her steely resolve settled on one simple mission statement.

No more gigs to distract her. No more leaving her brother to her own devices. No more playing passive. If the CEO, the school, and Baek-Hyeon’s classmates would not stop him, she would. She would make Pyeong Chung-Ae rue the day he messed with her family...


	13. Walking The Flower Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuhua recalls her past encounter with Jeon Sang Hee. Soyeon remembers when her adoptive parents passed back her pendant. Minnie and Yuqi recall seeing Soyeon’s pendant for the first time. Baek-Hyeon faces a nightmare scenario while in recovery.
> 
> This chapter will mostly consist of flashbacks, with brief interludes to the present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Shuhua tossed and turned in her sleep, the memory continuing to haunt her thoughts in seeming perpetuity. She felt her eyes blink rapidly as the ceiling fan swivelled round and round, its rhythm no longer as calming as it used to be. She rose slowly, careful not to wake the sleeping Minnie just above her. Just as carefully, she slipped past the door and shut it behind her. Her feet barely carried past the halfway point before the memory replayed in her head for the umpteenth time that day.

A year back, Shuhua was hurriedly doing up her socks as the door in front of her closed with a thud. It had been a frantic rush to leave the house, having woken up later than anticipated. Miyeon and Shuhua were the last to leave, the eldest having just exited the door just now.

“Hello there, young lady.” the woman said in a warm tone, a faint and polite smile on her face.

“Ahhh!” Shuhua screamed, falling back on her back out of sheer fright. Her eyes winced as she felt the floor beneath her before they were focused on the old woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

“Are you okay, young lady? I hope I didn’t give you a fright.” the old woman stepped forward, putting a stack of fliers underneath her armpit and holding out her hand to Shuhua.

“I’m fine…. Sorry about that. You gave me quite a fright.” Shuhua shook her head, standing by herself on her own two feet as the woman nodded and retracted her hand. Her slow ascent gave her time to take in the woman’s appearance. Her hair was greying in many parts, a few patches of brown belying her original colour. Wrinkles dotted her cheeks, but retained a relatively youthful appearance in many other parts of her face. Her clothes indicated that she wasn’t as well-off but not to the point of being dressed in rags, faded rose patterns indicating that she had some fashion sense in her.

“As long as I have you, could I trouble you to ask something?” she asked, unfurling the stack of fliers underneath her armpit so it wasn’t folded on itself.

Shuhua looked to her right, down to the corner where the van was parked. “I actually have somewhere I need to be urgently.” she said.

“It would only be a moment, miss…?”

“Shuhua. Um, sure.” Shuhua shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to indulge this woman for a little.

“Thank you. I’m looking for my daughter. I was hoping you might have seen her.” the old woman pulled out a faded photograph of the woman at a younger age with a young girl below her, her hands on the young girl’s shoulders. Besides her, a man of roughly the same age clutched the tiny hand of a toddler, a male by the looks of it. She looked at the fliers, seeing the same picture in black and white printed on it, with the woman’s contact details plastered on it.

“How old is this picture?” Shuhua asked, her finger pointing to the photo.

“11 years. But… she would be around your age. Her name is Soyeon.” The old woman said, holding the photo up closer. Shuhua looked at it again. ‘ _There’s a thousand people with the name Soyeon. It’s probably just a coincidence._ ’ she told herself.

“There’s a girl I know with the same name but I don’t think it’s her. Sorry.” the idol said, her tone uncertain. The woman latched on that spark of hope however, instantly diving into the next question with wild abandon, her posture stiffening as she stepped ever closer.

“Do you know where she is? Could I…?” she rattled off, alarming Shuhua instantly with her desperation. Not wanting to remain here much longer and feeling more assured that she had the wrong person, Shuhua tried to slip past her.

“I wish I could be of more help to you, but I really must go.” Shuhua said in as polite a tone as she could manage. She barely managed to clear the stairs when she felt something yank her back.

“Please! Surely you must have some way to contact her!” the old woman was clinging tightly to Shuhua’s arm, thrusting the old photo back in her face. Shuhua looked visibly annoyed, wrestling her hand out of her grip. The act loosened the old woman’s grip on her fliers, the papers flying all across the street and onto the pavement.

“I really must go. I’m sorry, miss but she’s certainly not your daughter.” she bowed low out of respect for her elder, quickly dashing off down the street even as the old woman screamed and begged from behind her. The rest of the residents peered at them both from their windows, unable to fathom what had occurred between the two of them.

She felt sorry for the old woman, looking back once at the distraught figure still stuck outside their dormitory with tears running down her eyes. Whoever she was looking for meant a lot to her, but she would be of no help to her looking for someone many years gone. Besides, her leader already had parents, both of whom she had met before. The woman soon left her mind as she raced down the block and turned the corner, where the waiting van was parked. She quickly hopped in, the auto door swinging shut behind her with a faint whir. The van took off soon after, their manager putting the pedal to the metal to make it to the venue in time.

“You’re late, Shuhua-ah! I thought you were right behind me.” Miyeon called from the back, fending off Yuqi’s attempts to tease her. Shuhua rolled her eyes at Yuqi’s persistence, taking a seat in the spot right in front of the automatic door.

“I’m sorry, unni. I was waylaid for a bit.” she bowed to them apologetically.

Soojin quickly cut through, raising a can of beer in the air. “Well, now that everyone is here, we can finally celebrate Soyeon-ah’s birthday!” Shuhua watched as everyone else, save for her and Soyeon pulled cans of their own and held them high. She acted quickly, grabbing a spare can from the ice cooler next to Soojin, cracking it open and raising it in the air as well. Soyeon’s cheeks blushed red with delight and embarrassment in equal measure.

“Happy birthday, Soyeon-ah!” They all screamed in perfect unison, drowning out the music humming 

“Congrats on being a year older to middle age, unni!” Yuqi said in a cheeky aside, drawing the birthday girl’s ire. As she moved behind to reach Yuqi, the rest laughed in unison, clapping their hands at their fellow members’ antics. Shuhua cast aside her thoughts of the old woman, her mind now only focused on making her unni’s special day as exciting as it could.

Back in the present, Shuhua slid down against the floor, hyperventilating as the memory slowly returned again piece by piece. Her eyes stared blankly at the dorm room where Soyeon would normally sleep, the empty bunk bed below Soojin’s now haunting her. Their leader was spending her nights at the hospital, insisting on watching over her brother personally. None of the members dared visit, not alone at least. To say Soyeon was disappointed with them would undersell the matter.

She rose from her fetal position, shambling towards the kitchen with a sense of dread and hunger. The dread came from the now impossible situation this put her in. Admitting it was not so simple anymore. ‘ _What would I say? Hey, unni… I happened to meet your mother 3 years ago and sent her away while you were just a block away. On your birthday, no less._ ’ she found herself scoffing at her own attempt, pouring out a glass of milk for herself. Not to mention how Baek-Hyeon would feel, knowing that she stopped his family from finding her 3 years earlier, even if it was by accident. As for the hunger? She figured something was in order to delay this feeling of guilt from overtaking her. 

Out of her periphery and unable to sleep herself, Soojin watched Shuhua silently drink. The dynamics of the group were tearing at the seams, her fear when Baek-Hyeon came on the scene slowly blossoming into fruition. There was little she could do, but slink back and try to get some sleep in the lonely bunk bed she now had all to herself. 

Elsewhere, Soyeon tossed and turned in as she slept herself, her memory looping back the moment that her family pendant came back into her possession. It had been only a few months since her initiation into the CUBE Entertainment family and they were already talking of grouping her up with a few other trainees. That meant a dormitory and meant finally leaving the confines of her home for the uncertainty of a shared household.

She had already packed, her blue suitcase set to one corner of her room. True to form, there was a wealth of food laid out on the table from samgeoypsal ( _pork belly_ ) to seolleongtang ( _ox bone soup_ ).

Her mother… She paused. ‘ _My adoptive mother…_ ’ she corrected herself. Her adoptive mother was always splurging when it comes to big life events. She took them all to a fancy restaurant when her husband got a promotion at work. She cooked them a whole feast with Jokbal ( _braised pork knuckle_ ) as its centerpiece when CUBE Entertainment accepted her application. And likely when she actually debuted, there will be yet another dinner and most definitely a buffet of some kind if she invited the entire group over as well.

“Abeonim ( _father_ ). Eomeonim ( _mother_ ). Are you sure you’re okay with taking me tomorrow? I could call someone from the agency to take me.” she asked, setting down her chopsticks briefly, the wood drenched in soup.

A curt nod left the older man. “Mmm. All ready for tomorrow, ttanim ( _daughter_ )?” her adoptive father asked, helping himself to another spoonful of kimchi.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“I can’t believe that you’ll be moving out so soon. Our little girl’s all grown up.” her adoptive mother said, running a hand across Soyeon’s hair, ruffling the tidy black hair with an affectionate smile.

Soyeon smiled, slurping up an errant noodle strand into her mouth. “Thanks, abeonim. I’ll try and visit you both when I can.”

“We can always swing by. It’s not too far, right?” she asked.

“I don’t think they allow family visits on site.” Soyeon remarked meekly.

“Oh, I see...” her adoptive mother masked most of her disappointment, a twitch of her upper lip the only sign of her discomfort with the restriction. ‘ _Not exactly on board with this, even if I can understand why._ ’ she mused quietly.

“I’ll ask them, just to be sure.” Soyeon promised. Her eomeonim nodded politely, appreciative of the effort.

“We got something for you, ttanim.” her adoptive father smiled, pulling from behind a small white box wrapped in a blue ribbon. Soyeon looked at him questionly, but accepted the gift nonetheless. Her fingers tenderly peeled away at the ribbon, then popped off the top of it. Her eyes widened as she laid eyes on the gift.

Her eyes glanced up to their beaming faces. “Is this…?” she trailed off, lost for words.

“Yes, it is.” her adoptive mother nodded. Soyeon dipped her hand into the box, pulling out the half pendant. The shape was back in its form, the old photograph encased in the center. Even the connecting piece was in place, jutting out like a sore thumb.

“I thought it was damaged.” she said shakily. She recalled the moment it had happened, a moment of anger when she had been told of her origins and she had hurtled the pendant at them, the pendant cracking against the wall behind them. It took several days before Soyeon would deign to speak with them and apologise once the story had been told.

“It was. But we had taken a picture of it beforehand. It was simply a matter of having someone make the necessary repairs.” Her adoptive father answered.

She rose up, moving around the table and giving a large warm hug to her adoptive mother. “Thank you so much, eomeonim!”

“Ahem…” Her adoptive father coughed audibly, eliciting a look of embarrassment from Soyeon and a hearty chuckle from his wife, who looked at Soyeon with a knowing wink.

“And you as well, abeonim.” she hugged her too, though she made a mocking expression to get back at him. Her adoptive father took it in stride, patting her back with tender affection.

She held the pendant close to her, looking at the faded photograph inside with teary eyes. Her finger brushed the light coating of dust from it, pausing ever so briefly on that younger image of herself. ‘ _Wherever you are, eomeonim… I hope you know that I’m okay. I’m happy. And I hope I’ll find you again soon._ ’ she let her mind wander, her adoptive parents content to watch and let her have her moment.

Soyeon sighed as the memory passed by her mind, rubbing her eyes as she woke from her slumber with an almighty yawn. She could have slept in her original home, but staying there alone felt weird and the residual guilt was still gnawing at her. The dormitory was out of the question as well. Despite knowing that her fellow members meant well and had not meant to keep the secret from her, she did not trust that she would not blow up at them. 

Resorting to sleeping outside Baek-Hyeon’s room on the couch was good enough. True to the self-defeating nature of the siblings, she had not entered the room at all, only waving with a weak smile through the window to him when he was fast asleep. It was still dark outside, the gentle pitter patter of rain outside casting a gloom over the whole hospital. The nurse on duty gave a curt nod to her, one she was quick to reciprocate.

Her hand reached into her purse, pulling out a small smartphone. Her eyes glazed over her contact list, trying to see who could help her out. She paused, her finger hovering over a single name. It was worth a shot at least.

“Sorry to call you so late at night, seonbae-nim ( _mentor figure_ ).” she said. The figure groaned back, the faint click of a lamp switching on in the background.

“I wanted to ask if you could do me a favour tomorrow.” she bluntly asked. The person on the other sounded confused at first, until the explanation poured out from the idol’s mouth. Shock turned to horror, then sympathy, then to understanding. She was quick to accept the offer, promising to be there if she could spare the time.

“Thank you, seonbae-nim. I’ll see you then.” she nodded, the call disconnecting moments later. She laid back on the row of chairs, her makeshift bed as it were, sleep coming sooner than she expected, her eyes slowly closing as her head laid into the pillow underneath.

That was more than could be said for Baek-Hyeon, tossing and turning in his own bed as he found himself lost in an empty void of white. “Hello?” he called out, wandering the white space in an attempt to map out its boundaries.

The space flashed before his eyes, throwing him into a facsimile of his classroom. Multiple people surrounded him, all wielding their phones like amateur camera operators and dressed in school uniforms. He looked at the faces surrounding him, recognising his classmates among them. Their expressions were all smiles and giggles, that feeling of being a circus animal readying for their moment in the spotlight. Some of the phones flashed, momentarily blinding him as one figure parted through the crowd to approach him.

“Smile for the cameras.” the specter of Pyeong Chung-Ae stepped forward, his menacing smirk on full display. He wasted no time throwing a right hook, sending the teenager sprawling to the floor. To the tunes of laughter, the beating persisted even as Baek-Hyeon tried to shield himself from each hit. By the time the assault was done, he felt the blood trickle down the side of his cheek. His body crawled forward, the scene melting away into a large press conference stage. As he crawled towards the stage, faceless reporters started clamouring and hollering, trying to get answers from the solemn looking members of (G)-IDLE behind the large table onstage. Soyeon sat in the center.

“Soyeon-ssi, care to comment on Baek-Hyeon’s indecent actions at his high school?” one reporter rose up from their seat and asked. Soyeon reached for the microphone.

“I can’t really comment on Baek-Hyeon’s actions. Moving forward, my plan is to focus on my career and my friends in this troubling time. Thank you for your understanding.” Baek-Hyeon hurried as fast as he could, grunting with each push he gave himself to press on.

The reporter continued to ask. “What about the rest of the members? Anything to add?” The cameras flashed again, momentarily blinding Baek-Hyeon.

“We will not be taking any more questions on the matter.” Miyeon responded, her face devoid of emotion when she did so. The members started to rise from their seats, preparing to leave. Two more people joined them and to his horror, it was his own parents. As they moved past him, his abeonim and eomeonim said nothing, that dead expression on their faces as well. Their heads shook in clear disappointment, before they joined the other idols. One by one, their figures disappeared into nothingness, his fear slowly rising. Soyeon was the last to go, but Baek-Hyeon managed to crawl up next to her, his hand trying to drag himself that last few feet.

“Wait… please…. I’m sorry...” he begged in desperation. Soyeon glanced down at him, her face similarly devoid of expression. Baek-Hyeon looked up, almost hopeful in some ways. They could recover. He could do better. He wouldn’t hurt her.

“Goodbye, Baek-Hyeon.” she flatly said, beginning her walk away from him, his hope shattering in the same stroke.

“No, wait… nuna ( _older sister_ )...” his feeble hand continued to reach at her retreating figure, his vision blurring from the injuries. His eyes watered in pain and sadness as the image of Soyeon rapidly shrinked into the distance, the sound of high heels clicking against the floor the only indication of her diminishing presence as the world finally blacked out for the anguished teenager and his hand slumped back to the floor.

He awoke with a startled yelp, his hand clutching his chest as he started hyperventilating. The monitor next to him beeped in tandem with his rapidly beating heart, requiring the teenager to take deep, calming breaths to relax his nerves to something far more soothing. The nurse rushed in, wanting to see what all the commotion was about. She approached closer, checking the monitor and Baek-Hyeon himself to ascertain his condition. So focused was he on hiding his panic attack from her, he failed to notice Soyeon creeping up to the window, watching as he clutched his chest and took deep breaths. By the time he had assured the nurse that it was a false alarm, she had retreated back to her corner, her intent to get a good night’s rest shattered. Her hands enveloped her face, her form shivering in grief.

As the morning was about to dawn in the early hours of the morning, Yuqi stretched her arms as she stepped out of the bathroom, still dressed in her pajamas as she made her way to the kitchen, looking to grab a quick breakfast before making their visit to the hospital. Stepping into the space proper, she was surprised to see Minnie

Only a few months prior, Minnie and Yuqi had found themselves resting against one of the mirror coated walls of the practice room, chatting amongst themselves. Cross-legged, the two were discussing their latest video to hit the internet, a light breezy comedic variety sketch that they shot for one of the major network’s digital branch. In their excitement, they had forgotten to change the channel on the TV, the daily news blaring in the background.

“Did you see our video yesterday?” Yuqi exclaimed, her eyes glued to her phone, the video playing back at them.

Minnie nodded enthusiastically. “It’s gaining a lot of traction. Youngsoo-nim’s saying that we could have a much larger crowd for the concert if we keep this up. And that means a few steps closer to paying off that debt.”

As they continued speaking and critiquing their work, Soyeon entered the room, wrapped in a thick jacket to fight off the chilly weather outside.

“Morning, Soyeon-ah!” Yuqi called out, enthusiastically waving her hand at Soyeon.

“Morning, Minnie-ah. Morning, Yuqi-ah.” Soyeon nodded, waving back to the two idols as she closed the gap between them.

“Discussing our most recent video?” Soyeon asked knowingly, seeing the two hunched over the smartphone.

“We could have been discussing... something else. How would you know?” Yuqi said in a huff.

“Because you’re the first one to do so every single time.” Soyeon folded her arms, continuing to flash that knowing look at Yuqi.

“She has you there, Yuqi-ah.” Minnie nodded imperceptibly. Yuqi’s expression became full-on satirical, her gesture all but impossible to construe as anything else but false anger.

“Wha…? I’ll have you know that I watch a lot of different things in my spare time.” Yuqi said, eliciting eye rolls from her fellow idols. ‘ _At least I get a good laugh out of them…_ ’ she contented herself with that knowledge.

“Where are the others? We need to practice our old routines for that concert later this month.” Soyeon asked, scanning the room for the others. It was supposed to be a relatively full complement, aside from Soojin that is. She was still stuck at the dormitory, down with a bad case of stomach pains, likely from the salad they had yesterday. 

“Shuhua-ah and Miyeon-ah have those interviews today, right?” Minnie scratched her head, attempting to recall their itinerary correctly. They usually wrote their schedules up on the calendar stuck to the fridge, but Cheon Da-nim had called up late last night with the offer. ‘ _Maybe they forgot to write it down._ ’ she thought to herself.

“Oh, yeah... Guess we’ll start first, I suppose.” Soyeon shrugged her shoulders. They’d make do. As she shed her jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair, Yuqi noticed something new swinging around Soyeon’s neck. At first glance, it looked like a new piece of jewelry, maybe something for their ever changing looks. Upon further inspection, that logic fell apart. It was nice, but not the kind of presentation their group often went for.

“What’s that?” she pointed it out. Soyeon’s eyes trailed her finger to the pendant.

“Oh, this? Just… something personal I thought would be nice to wear.” Soyeon said, adjusting her body so the others could see the pendant more clearly. Minnie moved closer, seeing the spiral pattern circling around the outer edges.

“Where’s the other half? Is it back at home?” Yuqi asked excitedly and earnestly. Soyeon’s smile weakened but never truly faltered. Yet, the mood change was very noticeable, considering their close proximity over the past two years and change.

“Oh, sorry, unni.” Yuqi bowed low in her general direction.

“It’s fine, Yuqi-ah. Not your fault.” Soyeon said, quickly trying to pull the mask back up, the weak smile ever present.

Minnie squinted, seeing the faded photograph in interest. The woman standing above the young toddler looked unfamiliar to her, almost unlike Soyeon’s mother. _‘Perhaps she just looks different now compared to before?_ ’ she guessed.

“Is that you in the picture, Soyeon-ah?” she pointed towards the pendant.

“Yes. It is, Minnie-ah.” she looked at the pendant and to her mother, a flood of emotions overtaking her and her mask quickly falling apart. Minnie and Yuqi could see that it was a sore subject to broach, wisely waiting for their friend to respond first. “I’m sorry. I just…” she tapped herself on the chest several times, trying to control her breathing.

“It’s okay. I won’t ask any further.” Minnie shook her head, heading off Soyeon’s insinuation. Yuqi was all but eager to inquire more, but a quick glance from Minnie was enough for her to read the room.

She nodded her gratitude. “Thank you.” She paused briefly to wipe the nascent tear from her eye. “Okay, enough of that. We really need to practice. Um… the video’s loaded up on the”

“I’ll change it.” Minnie offered, rushing to the TV in a flash. Soyeon nodded her thanks and made her way to her starting position while Yuqi watched Minnie from afar. On screen, a news reporter was rattling off a list of international stories, with the focus only now spinning back to stories closer to home.

“And in local news, an unknown van committed a hit and run incident on the outskirts of Seoul yesterday, killing two people. The police are asking anyone with any information on the van to come forward at...” the number was cut off as Minnie switched the channel, setting up the playback of their video for practice. The trio returned to their starting positions and went through the motions, the minute report far from their mind.

The memory remained unexpectedly tainted as the tiny detail emerged for both of them. Minnie and Yuqi could not imagine that the incident they had witnessed on the news would be the catalyst for Soyeon’s namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ) entering their lives nor the bouts of drama that now plagued them. The two looked at one another from across the table, watching each other in silence. The younger idol stared at the clock hanging just above the living room, ticking away at regular intervals. Her head drooped, the memory looming large. What would have happened had they listened just a little longer?

Minnie took a sip from her cup of coffee, her gaze instead on the rising sun peeking over the horizon outside their window. It seemed particularly beautiful this time, a reminder that for all the darkness of the night, of the past few days, the light was just around the corner. And as she smiled at the sunrise, so too did Yuqi. The shuffle of feet emerged as Soojin, Shuhua and Miyeon stepped into the living room, their downbeat expressions turning into bright grins as the members of (G)-IDLE resolved to fight for that better tomorrow. Shuhua’s eyes glanced back to Soyeon’s empty bed once again, her absence readily apparent. There was no better place to start...


	14. Collaboration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to face Baek-Hyeon, Soyeon asks someone to speak on her behalf. Soyeon confronts Pyeong Chung-Ae. Soojin consults other artists for feedback on her single. Minnie and Yuqi keep a careful eye on Ja Haeun. Shuhua and Miyeon talk with Gyeong Youngsoo about Shuhua’s single.
> 
> This is a rather interesting chapter to write, mainly because it’s one of the first that will feature other characters from other groups in some capacity. They are mainly here to open up some interactions, but I have no plans on featuring them heavily as we move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

She knew. She knew. The two words repeated themselves over and over in his head for the whole day in dread. When Baek-Hyeon had woken up the next morning, greeted by the nurse with his lunch for the day, she had casually mentioned that a young woman had come to visit yesterday, eventually staying the whole night. She had left in the morning to handle something, but said she would be back later tonight. When he asked what she looked like, she described Soyeon to a tee.

It was tempting to scramble out of the bed, tear off the monitor, the casts and hobble his way back to his house. To say something, anything to convince her that she had been hallucinating his presence at the hospital, that he was fine, that everything was fine. The weight of the lies and the knowledge that not even the other members would remain silent even if he had managed to pull all of that off resigned him to that inevitable fate. For the rest of the day, the only thing giving him a modicum of comfort was that feeling of inevitability. It would be over at least. She’d get her life back on track and he’d go back to being alone. A price he was willing to pay in his mind.

So when the nurse came back, he was steeling himself for the conversation. Trying to plan out what to say, what to do, his mind running as fast as it could through the possibilities.

“You have a visitor, Baek-Hyeon.” she said, setting the chart into the slot right in front of his bed, the plastic strip clattering in his ears and breaking his flow.

“Who is it?” he asked, out of politeness as his body posture stiffened.

“A... Moon Byul-yi.” the nurse looked behind her as she said the name. In his position, the nurse was blocking the mysterious visitor, part of her brown hair visible in the door frame. 

“Um, I don’t recognise…” he began, the visitor quickly cutting him off at the pass.

“I’m a friend of his sister. She asked me to come check up on him.” She maneuvered past the nurse, finally coming into full view. This was a much older woman, by how much he couldn’t say. Her eyes displayed a sense of concern, even if the look and attire she was in felt a bit more aggressive… more confident than that of his nuna ( _older sister_ ), if that was even possible. The nurse looked to Baek-Hyeon expectantly. ‘ _Sigh… better hear this out…_ ’ he thought to himself.

“It’s fine. I’ll… make myself comfortable, I suppose.” he nodded to the nurse. She returned the gesture, leaving to give them both the benefit of privacy.

Baek-Hyeon could make an educated guess, just from what he saw. “You’re an idol too?”

Her eyes widened just a little. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me.”

He strained to recall, his eyes scrunching up in concentration. He had met a few of his sister’s peers when he went backstage on their shoots, but he could barely tell them apart, much less remember specific ones. “Oh… Um, sorry… It’s on the tip of my tongue…”

It was refreshing in a way, thought Moon Byul-yi. She was so used to meeting people who had an inkling or an almost religious understanding of who she was. Seeing someone who wasn’t as familiar with her that wasn’t an old soul certainly made talking to him feel a little easier. “You heard of MAMAMOO?” she hinted, pulling up a chair next to the bed.

‘ _Which group was that? Oh, that four with the slew of radish puns?_ ’ he surmised, thinking better than to reveal why he remembered them, suspecting Moonbyul would not appreciate it. To be fair, he could not stop laughing when Soyeon showed that video to him. That was more memorable to him than any of the music she played after. “Ah. Sorry about that. I haven’t been keeping up with the music scene lately. Aside from nuna’s group of course.” he weakly chuckled.

Moonbyul shook her head, setting aside the small bundle of flowers she had brought into the vase on his bedside table. “It’s alright, really.”

“I’ll have a listen when I can, Moonbyul-ssi.”

She shook her hand this time in his direction. “Really, it’s not necessary, Baek-Hyeon-ssi.” The teenager smiled, nodding to her. “What kind of music do you listen to then?”

“Um… mostly atmospheric stuff. Mood pieces. The ones with minimal lyrics.” he stammered out an answer.

‘ _Ah, so the exact opposite of our music in general._ ’ she sighed inwardly. “Oh, I see. Nothing with lyrics in them?”

“Not every piece. It… helps me think when I’m writing. Gets me into the character’s… headspace.”

“Soyeon-ssi told me before. It’s your hobby, right?” she said, snapping her fingers as she recalled the moment. Baek-Hyeon quickly nodded his head.

“That’s good. As long as you keep at it, you’ll be great.” Moonbyul encouraged him. “What kind of writer are you planning to be?” she continued the line of conversation.

“I haven’t really… thought it that far, to be honest.” he said awkwardly. Moonbyul returned a wry smile. For five minutes, the conversation was relatively casual. The more they talked, the less the pain bothered the teenager. It was a good feeling, until of course the other shoe dropped.

“I just wanted to ask if you would be willing to tell me about your injuries, Baek-Hyeon.” she asked bluntly, tucking a tuft of hair under her ear.

There was a pause, his head turning to the window behind the idol. He tilted it ever so slightly to the right. Moonbyul tracked his eyes, knowing exactly where they were headed. The gears in his head were already turning. She turned to look back at the teenager, his free arm nursing the cast he had. She could see the black ink on the top of the hard shell, five names written out clearly.

“Did she ask you to say that?” he blurted out, his eyes turning to her.

“Does it matter? I don’t think anyone would buy the story you’re trying to sell.” Moonbyul said plainly, leaning towards him with a knowing look. Baek-Hyeon didn’t look away, though his gaze softened a little.

“Do you have a sibling, Byul-yi-ssi?” he replied softly.

She shook her head. “I don’t. I always wondered what it would be like to have one.”

“If you did… would you protect them?”

Moonbyul did not hesitate in answering, her body leaning in ever so slightly. “Of course.”

Baek-Hyeon’s eyes turned away from her. The slump in his shoulders was readily apparent. “Even from your burdensome self?”

The question and tone of his voice were far too leading. Moonbyul leaned back in her chair, one arm on the armrest as she looked back at him with hard eyes. “Is that how you see yourself? A burden?”

“It’s hard not to. I’m a grenade that got swept into her life. Best I can do for her is not blow up in her face and keep what she built in one piece.” he said with a hint of conviction, his hand clutching the mattress underneath the blanket.

“And what about you? Don’t you want to pursue your own dreams? Does your own happiness not matter?” she pressed hard, unsatisfied with his self-putdown. 

“I have time. I can wait. I can tough this out. But nuna can’t. Not if anything about I’ve heard and seen is remotely true.” he said shakily. Moonbyul paused, her gaze catching his wayward glance. She followed it towards the end table, his smartphone sitting idly near the edge. Her hand reached for it, the device humming to life as it immediately went into the menu, no password necessary.

Baek-Hyeon nodded, Moonbyul taking his tacit approval to switch it on. The search engine quickly returned videos, articles all highlighting the struggles, scandals and suffering that idols put themselves through. Insider scoops on the training process and their restrictive limits. The compensation of talent vs the company. The scandals and tragedies of idols as reported in the news, mostly in regards to the abuses companies and other idols inflict upon one another. Moonbyul could tell this was eating away at him, his expression turning dour as her own understanding of his state of mind gradually filled in the gaps.

“You pity us. Us idols and the lives we chose.” she said, setting the phone back down.

“Yes.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “I know it sounds selfish of me to say it, to make light of her dreams… and yours. But I’m scared for her. Scared that her sacrifices may be invalidated... because of me. If I can just spare her that pain, even for a brief moment, why wouldn’t I?” he said, a heavy exhale escaping his lungs.

Her left leg folded on top of her right. “I see it differently, Baek-Hyeon-ssi.” Her response caught him by surprise.

“Most of us know the sacrifices we’d have to make when we started as trainees. We rebelled against it, sure. If I had to count with my fingers the number of times I’ve snuck food into the studio, smuggled phones to call my family or otherwise broke the rules, I’d need a few more hands. But we still pursued it all the same.”

She paused, painful memories of her own trainee days flooding back and threatening to water her eyes. “She didn’t choose how this whole situation turned out. She didn’t choose to have a family member thrust upon her in such a way. Yet she still made the time where she could, to accept you. Not just the good times, but the bad times as well.”

She could see Baek-Hyeon squirm in his bed. “Maybe the person who needs to accept that this decision is entirely on her is you, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. That you don’t have to be a martyr when there are people out there who have your back. And that people are generally far more than you give them credit.”

“And if you’re wrong? If she resents me for tanking her career? For putting this undue pressure on her?” he fired back, voice unsteady.

Another easy answer for her. “I know her longer than you do. And if she ever proves me wrong, you let me know. I’ll slap some sense into her.” Moonbyul affirmed. Baek-Hyeon did not look entirely convinced, continuing to avoid eye contact with her. The older performer sighed, slowly rising from the chair and moving to the door.

“You’re a good person, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. Don’t ever forget that.” She said with an air of confidence, the door closing behind her. She hoped that her speech would be enough. She paused just outside the window, seeing Baek-Hyeon cover himself in the blanket, his form shuddering underneath. Moonbyul could not tell whether it was due to crying or the cold, but she could guess he was miserable either way.

She didn’t really have to walk far. Mere moments later, she spied Soyeon seated in the waiting room. Her fingers twiddled against one another, her head drooped as her gaze seemed fixed on the floor. The plainclothes idol looked conflicted, the slow tap of her impatient feet ringing throughout the otherwise empty waiting room. When Moonbyul walked into the room, Soyeon’s head spun towards her and followed her movements until she came to be seated next to Soyeon.

“Thank you, seonbae-nim ( _mentor figure_ ).”

“Don’t mention it, Soyeon-ah.” she replied earnestly. When she had gotten the call from Soyeon, she could empathise with her pain. While her manager was not as pleased with the sudden shift in schedule, she could make peace with that. Moonbyul could see that she was in deep contemplation, her throat visibly gulping down what she guessed was a sickening feeling.

“What are you going to do now?” she had to ask.

“I… I don’t know.” Soyeon admitted hesitantly.

“I think you need to talk to him. Clear up this misunderstanding before it festers.” Moonbyul advised, looking slightly pensive.

Soyeon tilted her head towards the direction of the room, holding it there for a couple of seconds before tilting it back. “Not until… not until I deal with Pyeong Chung-Ae.”

Moonbyul sighed audibly. One stubborn person was bad enough. Two was just too much. “Soyeon-ah…”

If Soyeon heard her, she didn’t listen. Shooting an apologetic look, she rose from her seat and left the waiting room in a brisk walk. The senior idol watched in exasperation, leaning back into the chair with a resigned sigh. ‘ _They’re so damn happy to bottle up their feelings in front of each other._ ’ she thought to herself, already seeing the self-fulfilling prophecy play itself out. She wanted to help, wanted to see them get this all out in the open. Easier said than done...

The next morning, the rest of (G)-IDLE were trying to move on with their lives as best as they could. Though Soyeon gave short answers during their conversation in the dormitory last night, she was trying. Of the five, only Yuqi expressed some sense of reticence, understandably considering what had occurred. Still, it was a step to moving past it all, a step to that promise they made beforehand.

Cheon Da-nim was quick to set them on some tasks, now that their next hit was in the works and to distract them in some way. Minnie and Yuqi were given the job of running the new trainees through the motions, along with Yeeun, a member of their seniors, the girl group CLC. As the trio watched the young hopefuls looking antsy and talking with one another in hushed whispers, Cheon Da-nim stepped in, giving the ladies a low bow before clearing his throat, the trainees quickly halting their motions and turning their gaze towards the manager.

“Okay, thank you all for coming. You’ve managed to impress us with your videos enough to earn a callback today.” he smiled briefly.

“But...! There is no substitute for the real thing. And almost certainly not in a group setting. So, today, you’ll be performing for Minnie and Yuqi from (G)I-DLE and Yeeun from CLC. They’ll be judging you today and giving you some pointers. I hope the promise you have all demonstrated was not a sham.” he said. Minnie could see a wave of nervous energy strike each trainee, some of their postures starting to stiffen in realization. ‘ _It’s only going to get worse._ ’ she told herself, not wanting to offer false hope.

He addressed the three young women with a curt nod. “The floor is yours. I’ll be back in two hours.” 

Practice started simple enough. Minnie chose to handle the singing portion of today’s training, handing over microphones to test harmony within certain groups. One trainee in particular was struggling with it. To no surprise, it turned out to be Ja Haeun, her eyes darting between the two (G)-IDLE members as she attempted to sing, her voice coming out clipped and raspy instead. Yuqi gave her a knowing glance as Yeeun coached her yet again, completely unaware of the drama enveloping (G)-IDLE. ‘ _We need to deal with this now. She’s going to drive herself into the ground otherwise._ ’ she told herself as she moved towards Yuqi.

“Yuqi, can you handle them first?” Minnie asked, motioning her head in Haeun's direction.

“Sure, unni.” Yuqi nodded curtly in understanding. Minnie quickly walked towards Yeeun and Haeun, pausing only briefly to correct a trainee’s pitch as she passed by.

“Seonbae-nim, could I borrow Haeun-ssi for a minute?”

Yeeun looked momentarily confused, though that was quickly assuaged by a reassuring glance from the younger idol. “Sure, Minnie-ssi. Now Haeun-ssi, remember to take a deep breath once you finish your part. That way, you won’t run yourself ragged when the next verse kicks in.” the experienced idol explained to Haeun, giving a friendly pat on the back to the struggling trainee.

“Understood, seonbae-nim.” she nodded to Yeeun, trailing after Minnie as she motioned to the door leading out of the studio. As soon as the door had closed behind them and Minnie had led them down the hallway further away from potential prying ears.

“Is there something wrong, seonbae-nim?” Haeun asked meekly once they had stopped just next to an empty conference room.

“No… at least nothing to do with your performance.” Minnie said, leaning against the wall, arms folded onto one another.

Haeun shrank when the words left Minnie’s mouth. It didn’t take much to figure out what she wanted to actually talk about. “Oh. I suppose this is about…”

“Yes. It’s safe to say that we do not have a high opinion of you at the moment, least of all Soyeon-ssi. Even if we understand why, it’ll take some time for us to… come to terms with it.” she paused, not wanting to imply outright forgiveness and get the young teenager’s hopes up to high.

“I’m sorry, Minnie-nim. I was… I’m still afraid of what Chung-Ae-ssi might do to me.” she bowed low, her eyes glued to the idol’s feet with a sense of shame.

“It’s a bit late for that, Haeun-ssi. I don’t really have any problems with you, as do most of the others. Soyeon may be less forgiving than we are. I would not blame her if she held you accountable as well.” Minnie remarked bluntly, her careful, professional tone all but missing.

“I understand, Minnie-nim. I’m not trying to start anything.” she asserted, shaking her head furiously.

Minnie nodded in response. “Then keep your head down and work hard. Don’t give her a reason to kick you out.”

Minnie craned her head behind her towards the training room. She could already hear Yeeun already running the trainees through their paces, Yuqi correcting them every now and then. “Come on, let’s get back inside before you miss too much.” Minnie said, patting Haeun on the back. The young girl nodded quietly, allowing her seonbae to lead her back inside. Yuqi and Yeeun watched them re-enter, quietly pausing their lesson. Watching Haeun do her darndest to get back into it was encouraging, thought Yuqi. At least Soyeon would have less chances to blow up at her...

Just a floor above them, Miyeon and Shuhua were seated opposite Gyeong Youngsoo in his office, nervously waiting for the CEO to finish an important call. They both glanced at one another as Youngsoo set down the phone after another two extra minutes, his full attention turning to the two idols under his care.

Miyeon and Shuhua bowed their heads in respect. “Thanks for making the time to see us, Youngsoo-nim.”

“No problem, Miyeon-ssi. What did you two want to talk about?” he asked.

“I wanted to ask how my single is doing.” Shuhua piped up. Instantly, the CEO’s perky attitude soured.

“I thought we had this conversation already, Shuhua-ssi.” Youngsoo said in exasperation, head dropping a few centimetres.

“We just wanted to check again. See if anything’s changed.” Miyeon answered, taking the reins.

The CEO sighed, pulling the records from one of his drawers, sliding it over to the two idols. “The numbers have improved, but not enough to consider it a success. I’m sorry, Shuhua-ssi.” he explained bluntly, seeing as being polite before did not dissuade her lofty ambitions.

“Sir, surely she warrants a second chance, considering (G)-IDLE’s performance. Not every artist gets it right on the first try.” Miyeon argued, realising ironically that their group’s fame was predicated on their out of the gate success.

“Yes, Youngsoo-nim. I implore you. I just want…” Shuhua began, only to be cut off by Youngsoo’s disgruntled sigh.

“I told you before, Shuhua-ssi. A solo career may not work so well for you. I...” he sighed, rubbing his temple. He could see Shuhua’s heart sink again, as did Miyeon. Even if he wasn’t as precious with his words, keeping profitable artists happy was part of his job description. What then could assuage her desires to stretch her creative limits? His hand shuffled through documents, unearthing Soojin’s own trademark for her upcoming single. The light bulb went off in his head a minute later.

“But a sub-unit might.” he said aloud, pulling the trademark papers closer to his side of the table.

Miyeon quickly caught on to his thought process. “You’re thinking about Soojin-ah, aren’t you?” Shuhua’s head spun to Miyeon, then to Gyeong Youngsoo. 

“If Soojin’s solo does well, we can use that to drum up support for a sub-unit featuring you and her. Your public personas already line up well for that to make sense.” he explained, already picturing and planning out the roadmap, so enraptured was he with the simple yet brilliant concept. He resisted the urge to pat himself on the back.

“That’s good, right?” Miyeon looked to Shuhua, elated with the unexpected outcome.

“Yeah… yeah, it is.” Shuhua said, biting back her own misgivings and insecurities. She was being given another shot. She just hoped that she didn’t drag down her dear friend in the process. As Miyeon and Youngsoo discussed the logistics to some degree, Shuhua felt the pressure of the secret weighing on her. If this was going to happen, she needed to tell Soyeon.

Elsewhere, Soojin sat nervously as she watched her two seniors listening intently to her track just a few meters away. She shouldn’t be this nervous, all things considering. She didn’t necessarily need to call her friends from other idol groups to have a listen and give some honest feedback, but she thought some fresh ears was just what she needed to assuage her own misgivings.

The idols pulled down their headphones around their necks. “Okay… I can see what you’re going for, Soojin-ah.” The blonde haired idol from TWICE, Kim Dahyun said cheerily. 

“Hmm… It’s certainly very different from (G)-IDLE’s house style.” the red-haired idol from MOMOLAND, JooE expressed a sense of concern in her voice.

Dahyun looked to JooE. “That’s good, right? A solo single should demonstrate something more unique.” Soojin nodded in agreement with her assessment.

JooE’s head tilted back and forth. “That may alienate the existing audience rather than draw in new ones. I think she should accentuate her personality, something more in line with what she’s done before.” she explained. Soojin could see her side of the argument. Gambles don’t always pay off, after all.

“Without risks, there’s only stagnation, JooE-ssi.” she remarked.

“With risks, there’s a cost, Dahyun-ssi. If this was the tail-end of her group’s lifetime, maybe you could argue that. But...” JooE argued a little more passionately. She paused, feeling Soojin’s eyes stare at her. This wasn’t her song and she needed to respect that to some extent. “But if you are going this way, then I would suggest tweaking the song a little more, Soojin-ah. Just to make sure it can still be recognized to some extent.” she said, giving a curt nod as an apology.

“Thank you for your feedback, seonbae-nim. It’s much appreciated.” Soojin said, bowing lower than usual out of gratitude.

“You know you don’t have to do that when it’s just us, right?” Dahyun chuckled, as did JooE.

“Sorry, Dahyun-ah. Old habit.” she joined in the laughter, one hand running through her hair. Regardless, the consensus seemed to be solidly in her chosen direction. She’d take it. As the two idols started casually chatting with one another, Soojin felt pride run through her very being as she renamed the file and prepared to send it to management for final approval. It was a long road but she was going to make it. By this time two weeks from now, her single would be out there for the world to experience...

Daily life in the school was starting to get boring again. To be honest, Pyeong Chung-Ae almost missed the sunny disposition Hak Baek-Hyeon brought to the table if only to have some delight in beating it out of him. He sat in his chair, watching the empty table with a sense of pride. If the message hadn’t gotten through, it would now. No way both Baek-Hyeon and the rest of (G)-IDLE would keep Soyeon out of the loop this time around. His eyes glanced up at the blackboard to copy a couple of notes, only to see Ja Haeun eyeing the same table with a forlorn expression. ‘ _Shame she joined CUBE. Ah, well… Just another one to add to the list._ ’ he sighed, returning his attention back to his notebook.

As lunch neared and the last class started leaving for the cafeteria, the teacher stopped Chung-Ae at the door. 

“Pyeong Chung-Ae, could you stay back for a moment?” he said. The teenager nodded, stepping outside to let the flood of students rush out of the classroom. Had someone finally blabbed?

“Baek-Hyeon’s sister would like to speak to you, if you have the time.” 

That earned his undivided curiosity. “Really? Did she say why?”

The teacher merely shrugged his shoulders. “She said she wanted to show her gratitude for coming to visit her brother.”

“Of course, sir. I’d be happy to receive her gratitude. Where did she say to meet?” Chung-Ae asked.

“In the park across the street.” he said as he pointed in the general direction, nodding once before leaving him to his own thoughts. ‘ _Such an obvious trap. And yet… hmmm… brute force will not work this time around._ ’ he calmly surmised, walking out of the classroom and seeing his two fellow goons looking concerned by the news. They made to follow him, but the lanky teenager held up one hand to hold them back.

“It’ll be fine. Go on. Save a tray for me.” he said calmly. The two teenagers looked at one another, nodding briefly before he made his way towards the front gate. Ja Haeun, hidden from view behind a nearby pillar watched as the lanky teenager whistled a low tune, his hands clasped against one another behind his back. The guilt continued to gnaw at her, especially after Minnie’s talk with her yesterday. Watching him leave the school, she slunk away towards the cafeteria, hoping the food would wash away her sorrows.

He walked across and looked around. She had chosen the perfect time to draw him out. No bystanders around to act as witnesses, a rather secluded location and someone to back her up unlike him. Still, he continued to step into the obvious trap. Soyeon for her part rose up from the bench ever so slowly, her gaze never leaving the approaching teenager. Chung-Ae could see she was not entirely alone. A black van, no doubt driven by her manager was parked just behind her, the person likely watching the whole exchange like a hawk.

“Tsk… a lying K-Pop star. Baek-Hyeon must be rubbing off on you.” he sardonically quipped. Soyeon didn’t answer, merely staring at him with narrowed eyes.

He stepped forward, snorting in a rude manner. “So did you bring me out here to threaten me? Beat me up? Out of some misguided sense of justice? Or are you…?”

Soyeon advanced angrily towards the teenager, her right hand curling into a fist. “Don’t push me, you hear me?!” she screamed, stopping just a few feet from him.

“Hmmph… My father was right. His competitor really loves taking risks. If you were at his company, you wouldn’t last a day.”

Soyeon could care less. “Why?! Baek-Hyeon did nothing to you! He was minding his own business!” she demanded, one finger angrily pointing at him.

“Then maybe your CEO shouldn’t have muscled in on our debut date.” he said, visibly annoyed.

“That’s what this is all about? Our debut?” she asked incredulously, unable to fathom how he could harbour such an all-consuming vendetta.

“Your ‘ _debut_ ’ cost us a lot of money. Humiliated my father to his investors. Humiliated our talent, who are barely scraping by at this point. Made us look like copycats, bargain bin rejects. You’d take something like that lying down?” He paused, unable to resist making one more barb at her expense. “Though I suppose that makes sense, considering what you let your brother go through.”

Her anger flared anew. “So you had to be a coward, huh?!”

“You are far too precious to touch now, Soyeon. People are bound to notice if something happened. Besides, it is poor form to mess with fellow people in the business. People outside of that though… fair game.” He casually mentioned. 

“Why do you care so much? A few months ago, he was nothing. A nobody. I’d wager he still is.” he grinned darkly, his eyes narrowing into a knowing wink. Soyeon was quick to respond, her eyes narrowing as she went on the attack, throwing the weight of her body against Chung-Ae, pinning the lanky teenager against the wall, her left elbow pressed just below his neckline.

“Say that again about him. Say it!” she snarled, thrusting her elbow into him with each punctuation. Even with her face inches away from his, Chung-Ae kept his calm and his eyes locked on hers.

“I hit a nerve, Soyeon? Maybe it’s not me you’re blaming for all this.” he said, his neck craning to one side. The muscles in her body were begging to beat him senseless. Her mind was screaming otherwise. With a bitter grunt, Soyeon threw her weight into her elbow once more. Chung-Ae clutched his chest in mild disc, eyeing the idol with a cool demeanour.

“If you hurt my namdongsaeng again, I will end you. You hear me?”

“Tell Baek-Hyeon that I’ll see him in school. I’m very much looking forward to it.” he flashed an uncaring grin, gently pushing Soyeon off him. The idol watched in seething anger as the lanky teenager started to walk away. She made to move towards the van nearby when she heard him whistle loudly behind her.

“Oh, and don’t bother trying to expose this, Soyeon-ssi. There are so many ways I can spin this, make this hurt you, reputation wise. Even if you don’t care about yours, think about what this will do to your fellow idols.”

With a mirthful chuckle, Pyeong Chung-Ae walked away with his arms crossed behind his back. Soyeon watched, barely restrained her impulses as the smug teenager started to whistle his tune again as he disappeared into the school. More than ever, Soyeon’s resolve to take him down only hardened, so intense was her hatred. She stomped back to the van, a nervous Cheon Da-nim watching from the driver’s seat. She would not give him the satisfaction of having the last laugh. There would need to be a bit of brainstorming, much as it would be easy to just hand over the footage to the authorities and let them deal with it. Her experience with them and Baek-Hyeon’s own accounts of their actions during her own case was proof enough of that.

As the van door closed in front of her and the image of the school slowly disappeared on the horizon, her mind started to churn. What was once dedicated to music, songwriting and composition was turned to strategy and planning of the single best way to deal with Pyeong Chung-Ae...


	15. Uh-oh, Here Comes Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soyeon takes out her anger on Ja Haeun. Shuhua confesses her discovery, compounding matters further. Baek-Hyeon is visited by Soojin and Minnie. Yuqi and Miyeon join a variety show to square off their debts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)I-DLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Yuqi could feel the nervous energy radiating off of her fellow idol as she stood next to her. A rather interesting reversal of fortunes, to her mind at least. They were standing just outside a nearby park as the camera crew and production staff raced around to set up the space. She looked to the right of Miyeon, seeing another three entertainment mainstays amidst the lineup.

It had taken some time and a whole lot of rejections from lesser shows, but here they were. Regulars on a variety show. A steady influx of cash into their pockets and one step closer to paying off the debt and earning some actual money for themselves for a change. Thankfully, Yuqi wasn’t inexperienced in this arena. There’s a reason the agency was eager to keep her going on variety shows and she was going to keep that winning personality as much as humanly possible.

The phone in her hand rang briefly, Soyeon’s name popping at the top of the message notification. Yuqi sighed. Things hadn’t really changed since their blowup outside the agency building. On camera and while in the presence of media people, she was all smiles, all too happy to keep up the facade. In the van or the dormitory, she was short and blunt to a fault. Anything to keep conversations and in turn interactions to a minimum. 

Soyeon was at least amiable to the idea of the others visiting Baek-Hyeon in the hospital again. Soojin and Minnie had taken the task today, their schedule much less packed compared to theirs. The last time Yuqi went, the doctor had mentioned that he was well on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, that drew chilling thoughts of the lanky teenager to the corner of her mind. The very one that was no doubt prepping to make Baek-Hyeon’s return a living hell.

“We’ll start rolling in ten minutes, everyone. Final checks!” the director called out, breaking her train of thought. She blinked rapidly, staring around at the entire set. It felt familiar, safe. And wrong, that worm of survivor’s guilt creeping in.

Miyeon looked at Yuqi quizzically. “You okay, Yuqi-ah?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Yuqi brushed her off, weakly smiling to Miyeon. The director started to approach them, flipping through a thick binder of notes in his hands. ‘ _Probably his first time doing all of this._ ’ she guessed. 

“Okay, how are our five stars doing?” the director smiled, gently clapping his hands together.

The burly looking man cleared his throat, looking up with a sense of attitude about him. A wild card if nothing else. Her gaze fell to the cast on his left leg. “Just fine. I’ll be ready for the next shoot.” he nodded, his attention returning immediately to his book.

Next to him on his right, a woman in her mid 40s spoke up with a calm expression. She carried herself with a bit more flair, her smile infectious. Not an artist. Definitely not the way she carried herself. Comedienne was her best guess. “All good.”

Another man, this one a little more lean and conventionally handsome sat to her right. It was clear to see that this was an actor in the prime of his life. “Ready.” he said, giving a confident thumbs up.

Miyeon answered for the both of them, her airy voice befitting their profession. “We’re raring to go. Hwaiting! ( _Encouragement or support_ )” she gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. Yuqi smiled as she ribbed Miyeon gently. ‘ _Tone it down a bit, unni. Save it for the shoot._ ’ she jokingly whispered, Miyeon snorting in laughter.

The director nodded, motioning to the cameras behind him with a loud clap of his hands. “Alright, then! Let’s start shooting!” At his signal, the crew roared to life. Makeup and stylists rushed towards the stars to touch them up one final time, the group of five making their way to the actual shooting location with an air of professionalism. Even with the slight wind at their backs, it felt like it was going to be a productive and entertaining day.

Shooting went well for the most part. Chemistry was often the necessary component in these sorts of ensembles and Yuqi had that in spades. Miyeon was less assured, often fumbling in laughter at the slightest change in the conversation. It helped that the variety show wasn’t about overly crazy stunts and challenges but rather touching on cultural differences between Korea and other countries. One for a country in the Asian community. They were hoping to make it an international touchstone, something that can relate the Korean way of life to the rest of the world. 

As shooting started to finish up for the day, Yuqi breathed a sigh of relief once she felt the cameras weren’t following her every move. Miyeon was excitedly chatting up her fellow cast mates, the awkwardness having melted away over the course of the shoot. Her eyes glanced down to the phone. Soojin and Minnie were supposed to text them about Baek-Hyeon today. Perhaps there was nothing more to say, she pondered.

“Anda telah lama menatap telefon itu. ( _You have been staring at that phone for a while._ )” a voice spoke out. She jumped in her seat, watching the burly man from earlier seated in a folding chair just across from her and chugging a bottle of mineral water down.

“I’m sorry?” Yuqi said in response, quickly recomposing herself.

“Minta maaf ( _Sorry_ ). I keep forgetting I’m not back home. Johan bin Ashraf.” Johan slipped back into Korean quickly, even as his voice retained the foreign accent.

“Song Yuqi. Nice to meet you.” Yuqi extended her hand towards him.

Johan gingerly shook the offered hand. “Sorry I couldn’t join you all today. Kinda wished I hadn’t gone for that jog, but hindsight’s always 20/20 anyway.” 

“It’s alright. Are you from Indonesia?”

“Malaysian. It’s the language, isn’t it?” It almost sounds the same, doesn't it?” Johan chuckled, screwing the cap of the bottle back on and setting it aside.

Yuqi bowed her head low, not stifling the chuckle she earned from his statement. “Sorry about that. I suppose I’m surprised that you’re speaking Korean so well. It took me a while to learn the language.”

“Practice, fellow outsider. Practice and a heck of a lot of reading.” his tone was slightly wistful.

“I can imagine, fellow outsider.” Yuqi agreed, a wry smile on her. Johan sat a little more upright, one hand resting on the table in front of him.

“It’s overwhelming being here sometimes. Winter is certainly something I’m not yet used to.” he said, letting his body shiver to sell his point. Yuqi nodded. She had heard something similar out of Minnie when they first met. Her gaze turned to her phone, the weight starting to make its presence known. There was another message she was hoping to get. ‘ _I shouldn’t be waiting. I should be making the first move._ ’ she thought to herself.

“You miss home?” she turned to Johan, a wistful tone in her throat.

“Doesn’t anyone? Food, culture, family. I miss them all.” he sighed, a wan smile briefly flashing across his lips. “But I do wonder if I’ll start forgetting it, the longer I stay here. It’s always on the back of my mind.”

Yuqi looked surprised. He had to be here for a long time to say something like that. However long it was, it had to dwarf hers by a long shot. “That long?” she asked.

“The price you pay sometimes for the things you love.” Johan nodded, stroking his recently shaved chin, hints of stubble popping through.

“They never wanted to move here?” she pressed, her back bending her body a little closer.

He shook his head. “Malaysia’s been their home for so long, I don’t think they’d leave it behind so easily. Can't blame them. You don't stay somewhere for so long without lasting memories.” His voice was slightly choked up, likely fighting back the urge to cry in front of his co-star. She was having a similar struggle, the grip on her thigh tightening just a little more.

Miyeon mercifully raced up in time, looking flustered and slightly out of breath. “Sorry, Yuqi-ah. Got a little excited speaking to the others. Ready to go?” she asked, glancing at Johan. Johan in turn spun his head to face Yuqi.

“Yeah. Yeah, we probably should.” she answered, her awkwardness shining through as she rose from her seat and stepped towards Miyeon.

“See you around, Yuqi-ssi. Hopefully, I’ll be back in action next week.” Johan said, waving the duo goodbye. Miyeon politely bowed to him, while Yuqi curtly nodded her head. He meant well, clearly the kind of person who was comfortable with oversharing. It’s not his fault that his words were rushing back the homesickness back into the idol. As she felt Miyeon’s hand clasp around her shoulder, that feeling started to fade. Family after all isn’t just about blood...

Hak Baek Hyeon sat in the bed, the slow beep of the monitor ringing in the background. It had been a week since Moonbyul had visited his room, her honest words still ringing in his head. Try as he might to banish them or strike down its logic, the advice still stuck. He barely heard the door to his room open, the sounds of shoes quickly alerting him to the fact.

“Hey there, Baek-Hyeon-ah.” Minnie’s voice chimed in. He watched as she stepped in, carrying a plastic bag laden with containers of food followed closely behind by Soojin, her hands holding a tray of 3 cups of iced milk tea. ‘ _Thai, if the colour’s anything to go by…_ ’ he noted the bright orange hue of the sloshing liquid inside.

“Oh, hey you two…” he smiled, pushing himself back to prop his torso against the back of the bed. Minnie and Soojin grabbed a couple of plastic chairs, seating themselves right next to Baek-Hyeon. Their drinks and food were quickly divided, each of the trio receiving one Thai milk tea all to themselves and a tray laden with some bibimbap ( _mixed rice_ ), pajeon ( _pancake_ ) and some bulgogi ( _marinated BBQ beef_ ).

“Thanks for the meal, Minnie-ssi and Soojin-ssi.” Baek-Hyeon nodded, pulling the tray closer to him and wiping down the utensils with some tissue paper.

“No worries, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. We figured you’d be sick of hospital food at this point.” Minnie smirked.

“Not really. I’ve subsisted on worse before.” Baek-Hyeon jokingly said, shoving a spoonful of pajeon into his mouth. ‘ _Vegetables. My favourite._ ’ he hummed lowly. Seafood pajeon was still good but he’d take something with greens any day. People always teased him for it, thinking he was a vegetarian. But he figured that something to balance out his meat consumption was best.

“Did they say when you’d be released?” Soojin asked, laying out her own tray as well and quickly diving into the bibimbap as Minnie took the spot opposite her.

“In a few days. I’ll still need some time to recuperate at home, but that’ll be the easy part. I’m just glad I don’t need to be hooked up to these machines anymore.” he mumbled through a stuffed mouth, pointing with his chopstick at the heartbeat monitor next to his bed.

“Geonbae ( _Cheers_ ) to your speedy recovery then.” Minnie said, raising her cup of milk tea up high. Soojin and Baek-Hyeon followed their lead, the two idols leaning in closer to accommodate Baek-Hyeon’s state.

“Geonbae!” The soft thump of plastic cups broke the monotone beeps, as did the slurping sounds that followed soon after. Both Minnie and Soojin couldn’t help but laugh as Baek-Hyeon sucked on the paper straw just a little harder, producing a louder and more obvious noise in the process. It was a moment of catharsis, even as his cheeks turned beet red with embarrassment.

“I heard from Shuhua that your single is coming out tomorrow, Soojin-ssi. Congrats.”

“Thank you very much. Once I have the CD in hand, I’ll be sure to hand you a copy.” Soojin remarked.

“And I’ll look forward to blasting it on my player when I get the chance.” Baek-Hyeon affirmed, holding a fist and shaking it to accentuate the point.

“Has Soyeon-ah come to visit you yet?” Soojin asked, another swig of milk tea going down her throat.

“Um… no. Not yet.” Minnie and Soojin shared a surprised glance at each other. Baek-Hyeon nervously chuckled. “She’s… probably just busy. I’m sure you guys are already planning a new album by now, right?” he said, trying to. Minnie awkwardly looked away while Soojin pursed her lips. ‘ _Probably keeping it on the down-low for now._ ’ his mind was already working up an excuse to tell himself.

He cleared his throat. Something else to talk about, pivot away from this subject. “Um… What about you, Minnie-ssi? Anything in the pipeline?”

“Mostly commercials and video releases. Usual stuff.” Minnie answered reluctantly, picking up on his trick.

“That’s cool. I’ve always wondered how those video releases are done.”

“Mmm… It’s just like any other shoot. Sometimes we actually get to take a break from singing and dancing.” Minnie said, eliciting a chuckle from her fellow idol. ‘ _Not entirely wrong, but it’s no walk in the park either._ ’

Baek-Hyeon smiled, setting aside his now empty tray. “Sounds nice. Well, maybe not the makeup part...” he shuddered, the feeling of the foundation on his skin not the most pleasant thing for him.

There was a pause in the conversation, the two idols slowly working their way through the rest of their meal, Baek-Hyeon happy to bask in their presence for a few moments. “You know… you don’t have to go back to that school. If you wanted, I’m sure Soyeon-ah could find another school to enroll you in.”

“I… think… maybe we shouldn’t.” Minnie’s face drooped, concern dripping from her expression. “It’ll cost a lot to move around. And I don’t want people to talk.” Baek-Hyeon eventually stammered out.

Soojin snapped her fingers, a light bulb moment hitting her. “Minnie-ah, you were talking about your video shoots previously. Maybe Baek-Hyeon could tag along, just like he did with the interview?”

Minnie pursed her lips in thought. It’d certainly be a perfect way to keep Baek-Hyeon out of school for a good chunk of time. “That could work. But that’s up to you, Baek-Hyeon.” she turned to him.

It brought a tear to his eye, their true intent clear to him. “I’d like that.” he said, a wide smile on his face. As the day wore on and the small talk continued to, there was a sense of light at the end of this painful tunnel. For all the hurt that surrounded him, that moment of relief was welcoming to the young teenager. A moment briefly tainted by the sobering thought. He still missed her. He wished it was her instead...

Ja Haeun could feel her seonbae ( _mentor_ ) stare at her with fierce intensity, sending a slight shiver down her spine. It would make sense if she had been actively making mistakes or lazing off, but she knew better. Soyeon’s gaze only left her side for the briefest of moments, mostly to make sure the rest of the class wasn’t slacking off. 

Each mistake felt magnitudes worse. Soyeon was quick to jump in at the slightest error, no matter the insignificance. The pressure was getting to Haeun and she felt her leg wobble just a little too much, throwing her body off balance. Soyeon glared with a pursed lip, marching towards the front of the group and shutting the music off entirely.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, wetting her lips as the trainees watched with fearful eyes. “Okay, I know this isn’t easy, everyone. But the evaluation’s coming up soon. People will get cut if things don’t continue to shape up. Understood?”

“Let’s take a break, everyone. Except you, Ja Haeun. You’ll need a lot more practice than anyone else in here.” She motioned to Haeun with a finger, watching the trainee with residual anger. She stopped moving, turning around with a gulp.

The young teenager looked back towards the rest of her fellow trainees, some of them wearing expressions of sympathy. “Okay, seonbae-nim.” Haeun meekly replied, bowing low towards Soyeon as the sound of footsteps slowly echoed behind her. ‘ _Okay, I can do this. You’ve got this._ ’ she psyched herself up, taking her position. Soyeon’s smile faded out as she pressed on the button. Oh, how she was going to feel so much better soon enough...

Shuhua could hear the chatter amongst the trainees as they walked by her to the canteen, whispering about Soyeon and Ja Haeun. Rumours were already flying amongst them, none of them remotely flattering. Her pace quickened as the music started to get louder. The idol cracked the door open, immediately seeing Soyeon watch over an exhausted Haeun, panting as she struggled to muster the energy to keep going. Her posture was bent out of whack, her chest heaving in and out with haggard breath. She was doing her best to keep to the rhythm, even as her lack of energy was starting to eat away at the perfection Soyeon was expecting.

“Your form’s slouching again, Haeun-ssi. Again.” Soyeon said, stopping the music once more. Ja Haeun slumped to the ground on her knees, breathing heavily.

“Please, seonbae-nim… I need to rest.” she begged, eyes blinking rapidly. She didn’t know how long it had been. She didn’t even care about lunch anymore. She just needed a moment to compose herself, catch her breath.

Soyeon pursed her lips, her fingers tapping against the boombox. “Again, Haeun-ssi. Until you get it right.”

Shuhua made her presence known, crossing the length of the room quickly. “Soyeon-ah, maybe you should take it easy on her.”

Soyeon barely glanced away, crossing her arms on one another. “If she goes up for evaluation later this month, they’ll cut her. A little suffering now will be a small price to pay.”

Shuhua wasn’t buying it. “Is that why you’re doing this? Because it doesn’t feel like it.”

Haeun groaned, the muscles in her legs almost numb. “Come on, Haeun-ssi. Again. You don’t get to rest until it’s right.” Soyeon said, ignoring Shuhua’s objection.

Haeun gulped, trying to regulate her heightened heartbeat. “Please… I’m sorry, seonbae-nim. I didn’t mean to leave Baek-Hyeon…”

Shuhua saw Soyeon’s eyes widen with rage, marching towards the exhausted trainee with loud, reverberating steps. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare say his name!” she screamed. Ja Haeun shrank away, her own eyes large with terror. “He vouched for you! And how did you repay him?! You wanted to be an idol, right? You got your wish! Now do it… again!” she switched the boombox back on. “Or you can…” Soyeon moved to hoist her back up to her feet, forcibly if she had to. Shuhua quickly intervened, her hand gripping tightly on her friend’s wrist.

“Soyeon-ah, stop. This isn’t going to…”

“Shuhua-ah, get out of my way.” Soyeon snarled in an uncharacteristic manner. Her friend started struggling in her grip, eyes laser focused on the now terrified trainee. She had to do something. She had to say something.

“I knew her.” Shuhua said abruptly. Soyeon stopped, looking downright confused. Haeun took the opportunity to rise to her feet and back away, albeit in a wobbly manner.

“What? Who are you talking about?” she asked, still tugging at her grip. She could see Shuhua audibly gulp before she spoke again.

“Your eomeonim ( _mother_ ), Soyeon-ah. I met her outside our dormitory three years ago. On your birthday.” she paused, seeing the gears turn in Soyeon’s mind, her focus slowly turning away from Ja Haeun. “I… I turned her away because I thought… I thought she was crazy. If I had known…” she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Haeun’s mouth widened in shock at Shuhua’s confession, her hand slowly moving to cover it. She took a step back, already feeling a sense of radiating fury building within Soyeon. The beleaguered idol simply looked blankly at Shuhua, barely processing what she had just heard. The music continued to play in the background, hitting an ironic chorus of happiness at the exact moment. Shuhua’s grip slackened, her friend slowly stepping back from her.

Shuhua couldn’t take the silent treatment much longer, the twitch in her friend’s brows the only sign of life behind her. “Please, Soyeon-ah. Say something.” The words seemed to jolt Soyeon back to life, her back bending as her body bent forward and her hands balled into tight fists.

“What am I supposed to say, Shuhua-ah? What exactly am I supposed to do with this?!” she vented explosively in seconds flat, both colleague and trainee staggering back at the sudden shift in mood. 

“Unni, I’m…” Shuhua stammered, cut off by Soyeon’s angered yelp.

“Stop, just stop, Shuhua-ah! I don’t want to hear it! I didn’t want to know this, that she came this close! This close… to finding me…” she paused, unable to speak through her hyperventilation and tears. “And she didn’t because you sent her away! Was that it?! Was the point to make me even more upset, Shuhua-ah?!” 

Shuhua shook her head fervently, her hands moving in unison. This was going so wrong. “No, unni. I’m not trying to…” she trailed off when she saw Soyeon grumble in frustration, hand wringing the air in front of her and pacing back and forth. Haeun was already tentatively stepping towards the door, doing her level best not to make a sound.

Soyeon could barely comprehend the words that started to tumble out of her mouth once she had stopped moving, only feeling the rage find its release valve. “Just leave, Shuhua-ah.” she said, head refusing to face either of them.

Shuhua’s face blanched visibly. Did she really ask her to leave? Soyeon’s body was already quaking in place, taking a tentative step back. “Unni… please let me…” Shuhua begged, stepping forward as much as Soyeon had retreated.

“Get out! Both of you! Get out of my sight!” Soyeon bellowed, thrusting a quivering hand towards the door, her head rising to display a look of outright fury, eyes bulging wide and lip trembling in rhythm with her hand. Ja Haeun wasted no time in dashing out, not wanting to be witness to further fury. As the door swung open with a loud wham and the trainee fled in terror, Shuhua merely stared at her, eyes welling up with tears at the total repudiation of her presence. Her own body shaking in between sobs, the idol started to limp away, pausing at the door frame.

“I really am sorry... unni.” 

As Shuhua closed the door behind her softly, Soyeon’s knees gave way and her own floodgates cracked, her own stream of tears dribbling down her cheeks. Everything was falling apart around her and she had just started fraying the few relationships she still had. It was that loss of control, that sense of failure that started to infect the otherwise confident idol.

‘ _I’m so sorry, eomeonim… I’m sorry..._ ’ she muttered aloud to herself, hands buried in her face as she sobbed alone as the weight of the broken promises came crashing down on her mental state. Shuhua, having not entirely left the area, could hear them, driving the same spear of guilt through her own heart. What little hope she had for the day was shattered and it was left to the idol to slink away, unable to face the guilt head-on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters are going to take a little while, on account of other writing projects requiring more of my time. So, don't expect the usual weekly-ish chapter updates that I've been trying to adhere to moving forward. If you liked this story, please leave some kudos and comments. It's really appreciated!
> 
> See you all next time!


	16. OMG in More Ways Than One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon is visited by yet another friend of Soyeon, causing him to question Soyeon’s commitment to their familial relationship. Soojin’s single is released and the results are anxiously awaited. Soyeon attempts to brainstorm a solution regarding Pyeong Chung-Ae, with Shuhua’s help. Minnie makes efforts to square her own debt away, with some unlikely assistance.
> 
> This will be another chapter with cameos from other K-Pop groups. As before, they will not factor too heavily into the story moving forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)I-DLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Freedom. A word Baek-Hyeon never imagined to describe his release from the hospital. Much as his passion was the very idea of thinking things through, doing it forcibly against the sterile backdrop of his hospital room was stifling to say the least. He grunted as he leaned his weight on the cane. Though he had healed from the fractures, the pain wasn’t going to be as easy to let subside. It was slow going at first, but he had finally gotten the hang of it thanks to the encouragement of the nurses and doctors during his physical therapy.

He whipped out his phone, scanning the waiting room with his eyes. Was someone coming to pick him up? Normally, he’d just walk himself back. He figured that was a stupid idea. Aggravating his injuries now would just put even more undue pressure on them. They had bigger fish to fry. He scanned the room again.

A young woman waved her hand in his direction, rushing from the lobby with a smile. Another unfamiliar face. Likely another friend of Soyeon, if Moonbyul was anything to go by. Sighing, he tentatively hobbled towards the woman. She looked younger, long multi-coloured hair ( _a blend of pink hues and blonde trimmings_ ) billowing on both sides past her shoulders. She was dressed very casually, a jacket to keep her warm and torn jeans, with no outlandish jewellery in sight. He never understood that fad, even if by necessity his own jeans were showing similar wear and tear.

“Hi, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. I’m Seunghee.“ her hand reached, trying to keep a smile on her face even as her eyes were casting sympathetic glances at his limp.

He let his right hand grip the cane tighter, reaching out with his other, more dominant hand. “Nice to meet you, Seunghee-ssi. Forgive me if I do not recall which idol group you’re from.” he quickly followed up, figuring that confronting it would make things less awkward.

“What makes you think I’m an idol? Soyeon-ah has friends outside of work, you know.” Seunghee said, hands on her hips in indignation. Baek-Hyeon rolled his eyes at her. ‘ _Seriously? That’s what you’re going to stick with?_ ’ he seemed to say.

Seunghee quickly gave up the chase, her arms slumping in a mocking fashion. “I see not a lot gets past you. Yes, I’m an idol. From Oh My Girl.“

“OMG… That’s clever. I’m sure whoever thought that up got a pay raise.” Baek-Hyeon chuckled softly, wincing as he accidentally leaned on his limp leg just a tad more than expected.

“I’m glad you see the humour in it.” she chuckled, pausing to prop him back and continue walking alongside him.

“If it helps, I remember most groups more about weirdness or quirkiness than the actual music.” he paused, wanting to explain a little further to her but held back. ‘ _Probably not wise to let the joke spread back to them._ ’ he thought. Moonbyul looked tough enough that he didn’t dare risking her wrath. Or her fellow members for that matter... Four on one is a hard sell in most circumstances.

“And (G)I-DLE? If you think about it, it’s also kind of a weird name.” Seunghee’s brows rose up and down knowingly.

“That’s nuna’s group. I have an obligation to remember that.” he remarked dryly. She seemed more like Yuqi in nature, helpful, funny and sometimes infuriating in equal measures. He started to amble forward, grunting softly with each shot of pain coursing through his veins.

Seunghee looked on in concern, moving to lend a helping hand. From what Soyeon had told her, she had expected him to be relatively recovered, not struggling to walk. “Do you need help?”

Baek-Hyeon shook his head, taking another slow step as the cane tapped against the floor. “I might, but I want to try getting to the van on my own… if I can.” another burst running through, his eyes squinting to compensate. Seunghee didn’t look all too convinced.

“Okay. Just let me know if you need it.” She backed away, watching as Baek-Hyeon pushed him and stumbled towards the van, his face almost permanently locked in anguish.

The drive was silent. The woman in front, likely the manager, cast curious looks back at him from time to time but otherwise remained as silent as stone. Seunghee didn’t even have much to say, the usually chatty idol cowed by the display of torture Baek-Hyeon had put himself through. She looked at him, observing as his hand tenderly rubbed the muscle and tried to massage it. ‘ _Definitely as shy as Soyeon advertised._ ’

When the GPS on the dashboard read that they were five minutes out and the car took another turn into the crowded highway, she finally found the nerve to speak up again.

“So, Soyeon hasn’t really told me a lot about you. Care to share?”

Baek-Hyeon blinked several times, looking over to the idol. “Um… There’s really not much to say.”

“Well, surely there are some things you haven’t mentioned yet.” Seunghee encouraged, trying to put on a cute smile to sweeten the pot. Baek-Hyeon simply looked at her rather awkwardly, hemming and hawing for words to say.

“Uh, I don’t really like heights? Bungee jumping, towers, that sort of thing?” Baek-Hyeon shrugged his shoulders. She wasn’t satisfied with that.

“Come on, please?” she flashed him another cute look. ‘ _Clearly her signature move, if nothing else._ ’ he correctly surmised.

“Are you usually this forward, Seunghee-ssi?” Baek-Hyeon said incredulously.

“Only to my friends. And…”

“A friend of my nuna ( _older sister_ ) is a friend of mine. Got it.” Baek-Hyeon finished off her sentence, much to Seunghee’s consternation. If there was one thing nice about his nuna’s fellow groups, they were far from combative. In fact, they were more supportive of one another than he expected. The downside of such support was that he felt like an outsider each time, even when they tried to pull him into the conversation. He deigned to answer any more, staring forward even as Seunghee tried to continue speaking. ‘ _Don’t screw up more stuff for her._ ’ he thought to himself.

“Let me help you into the house. Soyeon-ssi will be back soon.” Seunghee practically leapt off her seat and helped Baek-Hyeon down the stairs, the arguments of her manager falling on deaf ears. Wrapping Baek-Hyeon’s left arm around her shoulders, she helped walk him inside the house. The air wasn’t stale anymore at least, she thought. Soyeon was more than happy to take an obsessive role in cleaning the house from top to bottom. She made for the kitchen once she had set him down onto the couch, digging out a couple of glasses and reac

“Is she actually busy?” he asked, point blank. Seunghee paused momentarily before setting the glasses down on the table in front of them. She brushed aside her hair, taking a seat next to Baek-Hyeon.

“You could say that. Come on, let’s…” Seunghee reached for the glass, but Baek-Hyeon beat her to the punch, downing the water in seconds flat. The glass landed back on the table with a loud thud.

“Why are you dodging the question, Seunghee-ssi?” he asked. The idol reluctantly looked away, the glass of water looking more inviting by comparison.

“Does she not want to see me?” he asked, his expression looking more distraught by the second.

“No. No, of course not. She cares about you. She just...” Seunghee stammered, at a loss for words as she shook her head.

“Just what?” Baek-Hyeon continued to press her.

“She’s just… afraid that you’ll hate her. She didn’t want to face you, knowing that she failed you.” Seunghee explained to him, her voice cracking as she tried to supply it. Her hand reached for the other glass of water. Being comforting when her fellow group member needed it was normal, since she could actually sympathise with their struggles. Baek-Hyeon’s case was different, violence inflicted on him because of circumstances that had little to do with him.

“Failed me? Pfft…. We did. Me and our parents. We should have found her. We should have never lost her in the first place. And now I can’t keep things… uncomplicated.” His head hung low in a downcast state, the turbulent months gnawing on his memory.

“Look, you need to stop beating yourself up. Both of you, actually. It’s not healthy. And it’s not normal.” Seunghee remarked, leaning in closer.

“Nothing about this whole thing was normal to begin with! I can’t… I can’t…” Baek-Hyeon suddenly erupted in hyperventilating anger, his attempts to rise to his feet hindered by the dull pain and the painful memories.

Seunghee stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down onto the couch. “Just…. Just talk to her. That’s the only way you’ll know for sure.” Baek-Hyeon stared blankly at her, too distraught to fully listen.

“Look, I need to go. Are you okay being on your own for now?” Seunghee rose to her feet. His head nodded ever so slightly. ‘ _It would have to do._ ’ she thought to herself, slowly walking towards the door.

He watched the door close shut, left behind to let his self-loathing thoughts stew. The idol stared back at the door herself, the peeling number 95 looking back in all its rusted glory. There was no doubt that he was Soyeon’s brother. The thing that marked them as such was now prolonging something that wasn’t meant to be. It hurt to see her friend ignore her family, especially when she could see the amount of pain and sorrow that said family was willing to endure out of some misguided belief. She barely stepped away from the door, lost in saddening thoughts before she heard what sounded like shattering glass.

Her body turned on a dime, racing to the door and throwing it open. She paused at the door, watching Baek-Hyeon sprawled on the floor and clutching his knee in pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks, his body shaking in place. The glass covered the floor around him, likely the glasses she had brought out earlier. She turned behind her, motioning to her manager in the van. They would be here for a little longer than expected....

Soyeon grumbled yet again, tearing out yet another page from her notebook and balling it up into a crumpled ball. She chucked it haphazardly, landing in the slowly filling waste bin. Her head drooped low, clutched in place by her hands. She had been at this since the first rays of dawn. By now, the window looking outside the agency building was starting to cling to the final moments of sunsets. Not a single moment was spent on composing a new song, nor dance practice, not even for arrangements. No, she kept her word. The one promise she could keep right now.

She was starting to scribble down another idea when she heard the door click open behind her. She craned her head behind, seeing Shuhua walk in with a tray laden with coffee. Soyeon quickly turned away, that anger starting to stir in the pit of her being.

“What do you want, Shuhua-ah?” she said harshly, hand furiously writing across the page.

Shuhua gingerly stepped forward into the room, the door clicking shut behind her. “I… thought you might want some company, unni.”

“You thought wrong, Shuhua-ah.” Soyeon almost drawled in a cold tone.

“Then some coffee?” Shuhua placed the coffee tray in front of Soyeon. Again, she pointedly ignored her. Even when she heard Shuhua pull up the chair next to hers, she kept her eyes trained on the notebook itself. 

“I’m sorry, Soyeon-ah. I’ll say it again and again if I have to.” Shuhua affirmed. No response.

Shuhua tried to peek at Soyeon’s work, the idol’s elbow instinctively covering up to hide it from her. “Are you planning out the next album?” she asked.

“Music is the last thing on my mind, Shuhua-ah.” Soyeon remarked with clear frustration. She turned to the notebook again, scribbling away whatever plans came to the forefront of her mind. Seconds passed, the lingering presence of her friend still hovering above her.

“I said I don’t need any company, Shuhua-ah. Leave me alone.” she said flatly.

She took a deep breath. This was just her lashing out. “You don’t mean that, unni.” 

Soyeon snorted, the pen pausing in its strokes for a few moments. “Even if I don’t… What makes you think I want your help? After what you confessed to me?” she stopped, watching Shuhua’s cheeks drain of colour. Even as her thoughts were of the vindictive sort, there was that tug of inherent regret holding back that fond feeling.

“I know just saying sorry isn’t going to make this right.” Soyeon scoffed. It was an understatement. Shuhua sighed, “So, let me help me make this right.”

“And you think that’ll make it okay, Shuhua-ah?”

“It’ll be a start. I’m owed that much, unni.” Shuhua looked at her expectantly. Every fiber of Soyeon’s being screamed in pain, the association too much to bear. Yet, she stayed her anger. No matter what, she still needed to work together with Shuhua in future. She couldn’t afford to let it affect her, lest she lose the one thing helping pay for Baek-Hyeon’s medical bills and school tuition. ‘ _Though I should probably start looking into other schools…_ ’ a sobering thought followed soon after.

She gave a bitter nod to her friend, the youngest member breathing a sigh of relief as she took the seat next to Soyeon, a silent nod of her head the only thanks she felt courageous enough to offer. For her part, Soyeon ignored it and tapped on her journal.

“I have been trying to figure out how to pay Pyeong Chung-Ae back for his actions. Or at least get the proper authorities to finally do something about it...” her tone crept to a mocking tone on the last sentence, their actions thus far colouring her perception of them as a whole.

“Oh, him…” The memory of the slimy bastard crept back to the forefront of her mind. “If you have footage of the incident, why can’t we show it to the principal? Or the authorities for that matter?” Shuhua asked, recalling the footage Ja Haeun had obtained.

“He has our reputation in his damn hands. He’ll ruin us before we get the chance.” Soyeon explained, the threat emphasised in her serious tone. Shuhua’s lips started to purse. ‘ _And she’s likely trying to protect us from the fallout if it does happen._ ’

“Anything you’ve come up with?”

“No, nothing… legal at least.” Soyeon freely admitted, thoughts already drifting to those very illegal and very personally vengeful methods. Shuhua could clearly see the smile crossing her friend’s face. She could understand at least. Pyeong Chung-Ae just felt slimy and disturbed in a particular way, a vibe that was begging for a sound punch to the face.

“Okay… We’ll see what we can come up with… and make him regret messing with us.” Shuhua said, pulling the coffee cups out of the tray. She started to sip on her icy beverage, letting the rush of caffeine flood her brain as she devoted her brain cells to the pursuit of righteous retribution. She’d need it, if she planned on making it up to Soyeon...

She was pinching her arm again. It was a rather annoying habit Soojin decided to pick up, Yuqi thought to herself. Either that or the impending results were really playing havoc on the idol’s nerves. Regardless, the pain was starting to be a thorn in her side.

“Ow… If you’re going to be this nervous, I’m taking my arm away.” Yuqi said firmly, rubbing her skin tenderly. Gyeong Youngsoo looked up from his desk, shaking his head in mild annoyance. He had dealt with many nervous artists, especially those that were very worried about their debut albums or singles. Yet, (G)I-DLE was always a trendsetter, even if that trend meant parking themselves in his workspace while the week’s sales were being tallied.

“Sorry, Yuqi-ah.” Soojin apologised, retracting her hand momentarily.

“Is there a reason you two could not wait outside my office?” the CEO asked pointedly, tapping his pen on a piece of paper. ‘ _After all, I didn’t put a sofa outside for my own health._ ’

“Well, we wanted to know as soon as possible, Youngsoo-nim.” Yuqi beamed.

He sighed audibly, the pen falling out of his hand. “What difference does a few minutes make?”

Yuqi pointed to Soojin very quickly. “Plenty, considering Ms. Pinch-a-lot is going to be clinging to me the whole time.”

“Stop joking. This is serious. I’m allowed to be nervous.” Soojin slapped Yuqi’s shoulder brusquely.

Yuqi felt her eyes roll, watching Soojin shudder with anxiety. “Come on, Soojin-ah. If you’re worried about repeating Shuhua-ah, then you don’t need to. The focus group likes it. Our peers understand the intent behind the single. All good signs, right?”

“I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatched, Yuqi-ah.”

“She’s not wrong. Being cautious is sound. But I see your optimism, Yuqi-ssi. The feedback has been… encouraging.” Youngsoo mediated, his hands hovering in the air.

“If it….” Yuqi felt Soojin glare at her. “When it does succeed, what does it mean for their sub-unit?”

“That’ll be going forward, regardless. It’s too good of an opportunity to pass up, considering how you and Shuhua have been conducting yourselves in public appearances.” the CEO affirmed to Soojin. ‘ _So, at least we are secured in some way. That’s good._ ’ relief followed that very thought of hers.

Minnie’s face suddenly peeked behind the door, head scanning the room. “Oh, hey there. I was wondering where you two ran off to.”

“I thought you went home with Miyeon already, Minnie-ah.” Yuqi seemed puzzled by her presence.

Minnie slipped past the door, plopping herself down next to Yuqi on the couch. “I did, but I was thinking of some ways to fill out my schedule, so I came back and talked with Cheon Da-nim about it.”

“By all means, please come and rest your feet in here. It’s not like I use this space to conduct business. Which keeps you employed. And fed.” He grumbled. Only Yuqi seemed to register his dissent, giving an apologetic look before returning her focus to her fellow group members.

“What did you find?” Soojin prompted.

“I was thinking of a few interviews, perhaps with Baek-Hyeon tagging along. Since we need to stay in the public eye while Soyeon-ah works on our comeback, it’ll help.” Minnie offered, having discussed it at length with Cheon Da-nim earlier in the day.

“People will talk, you know. You and Baek-Hyeon going on interviews together, alone.” Soojin said in a nudging sort of tone. Minnie grimly nodded. The press was going to blow it wildly out of proportions, regardless of any denials she or the agency made.

“I would concur on this, Minnie-ssi. The optics would not be... ideal.” Youngsoo shared his two cents.

Minnie folded her arms onto one another. “Well, everyone else is busy. And we’re doing this to stop Baek-Hyeon from being in school for as long as we can.”

Soojin turned to the CEO, his expression already guarded. “Speaking of which, did you speak with Chung-Ae’s father, Youngsoo-nim?” The question was forward and not one he could actually answer. There had been talks but ultimately, Chung-Ae’s father saw it as an unrelated matter to the accusation being levied at him. So long as Chung-Ae didn’t do anything to physically hurt his employees, he considered it a moot point. A part of him wondered if making him an employee on paper might solve the matter, though he immediately countered that with the understanding that the timing would show his hand.

“I have not had the time. Perhaps if I did not have three idols in my office chattering my head off…” he said, his sentence trailing off to the tune of his door creaking open and Jang Yeeun stepped into the now cramped space. ‘ _Make that four…_ ’ he massaged his temple.

“Oh, Yeeun-nim…” Minnie said, looking up at the tall idol.

“I heard everyone was gathering in the office. I figured I could pop in for a little while.” she said, taking the last unoccupied space on the sofa, squeezing next to Minnie with a grunt.

“Why did I hire a secretary in the first place?” Gyeong Youngsoo buried his head on the desk, groaning to no-one in particular. ‘ _I’m going to put a damn sign on my front desk, like every rebellious teenager out there if I have to..._ ’ the thought came unbidden in his head even as the idols continued to speak on the sofa.

“Did you manage to find something to fit in, Minnie-ah?” Yeeun asked immediately.

“Well, I was thinking some variety videos and interviews for SNS would be in order.” Minnie explained briefly.

Yeeun was quick in her summary of the situation, the expectant faces of Yuqi and Soojin behind Minnie staring back at her. “Please tell me you’re not bringing Baek-Hyeon to them.”

Yuqi clapped her hands with a loud smack. “Thank you, seonbae-nim! See, Minnie-ah?”

“It’s still a good idea. If I don’t do it, Soyeon-ah will.” Yuqi absent-mindedly rubbed her neck while Soojin and Yeeun looked at her with a grim expression. “You know she will.” Minnie said.

“It won’t help him. It’ll just compound things, wouldn’t it? He’ll have to go back, busy schedule or not. And if this… person is as vindictive as she mentioned, then it might just make things worse.” Yeeun pointed out. Minnie was silent, unable to wholly refute the observation.

“Maybe someone else can help him instead. PENTAGON, perhaps? People won’t talk as much if he’s seen with them.” Yeeun offered. Minnie felt her body relax a little. A boy group with a tag-along isn’t as newsworthy and much less prone to absurd rumours. She glanced over to Youngsoo, who gave a weary nod. He started to pencil in another meeting on his schedule, grumbling under his breath.

The computer beeped loudly. Four pairs of eyes turned to face Youngsoo again instantly, his hands already darting towards the mouse. His screen flashed the new email, his eyes quickly scanning the email. A grin crept across his lips, his hand moving to turn the monitor around.

A large sum number, nearly reaching 300,000. That was big, a miracle considering this was a solo act. Soojin was the first to leap off the couch, jubilant at the rave reception. Minnie and Yuqi jumped up next, brazenly hugging their friend and cheering loudly. Only Yeeun remained more composed, content to smile and clap merrily as she watched the three idols jump up and down with uncontained energy.

“Congratulations, Soojin-ssi. It seems your future is looking very bright indeed.” Yeeun said, rising from the sofa and giving Soojin a warm hug as soon as she had extricated herself from her fellow group members. She watched as Youngsoo reached for the drawer under his desk, pulling forth a half empty bottle of alcohol and five shot glasses from its depths. His hand swept across the desk and cleared the papers, setting down the glasses and loading them to the brim. One of the glasses naturally found its way into his hand and he raised it high, prompting the other four to reach for their own.

“A toast to Soojin-ssi! May her success continue to open doors for everyone!” Gyeong Youngsoo said, the glass shaking ever so slightly in his hand as it reached the apex of its height.

“Geonbae!” they all exclaimed, the glasses delivering its payload down their throats. Their joyous energy and the noise drew the rest of the practicing artists to the office, slowly filling the room with their full roster. The last to arrive were Soyeon and Shuhua, both eyeing each other uneasily. There would be time to let the anger boil again, time to actually figure things out. But now, they were united in celebrating their friend’s outstanding success. And as Soyeon was handed a shot glass by a clearly tipsy Miyeon, ( _the fact of which no longer surprised her_ ) she felt happiness cross her mind for once in the last few weeks. One sorely needed bright spot in a long year of twists and turns...


	17. Second Verse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon spends his last days of freedom writing, drawing Shuhua’s attention. Soojin’s success draws out intriguing offers. Soyeon has writer’s block in coming up with the group’s next song, with Minnie taking steps to settle the issue. Yuqi bonds with Ja Haeun as training intensifies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)I-DLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Entering the practice room felt like coming home to the idol, many a night spent repeating routines until the dead of night. Old muscle memory for Yuqi, but not for the trainees huddled in the center of the room. Yesterday had been their first evaluation and as expected, cuts were made almost very quickly. Some of the survivors were murmuring their names, happy and sad at the same time to have progressed to this point.

Yuqi clapped her hands together twice, the whole room going silent as all the trainees gave their undivided attention to her. “Alright. Congrats to everyone who’s made it this far! You survived your first evaluation. You’ve worked hard and it shows.”

“But that’s only step one. Now we make sure you keep improving as we start adding stuff in. Today, we’ll start testing you on full routines.” Yuqi said, eliciting groans from the entire room. ‘ _Understandable, but there’s no rest for the wicked._ ’ she told herself. “I know. Not a moment to rest, but that’s how it goes.”

“Alright, let’s not waste any time. From the top! Hwaiting ( _encouragement_ )!” Yuqi pressed down on the boombox, the tune spinning up as the trainees took their positions. The idol watched the room perform, some in harmony with the rhythm while others lagged behind by a step or two. Her gaze fell on Ja Haeun again. Soyeon’s outburst had clearly rattled her confidence, often being held back when her performance was not up to snuff. Soyeon rarely attended those remedial sessions, avoiding Haeun wherever she could. The few times she did turn up, Ja Haeun would all but falter in the session with little progress to show for it.

The music seemed to beat faster in her mind, her body trying to keep to that internal rhythm. The sounds of her concerned fellows bounced off of her, the image of a terrifying Soyeon driving her forward. Inevitably, her leg took a spin just a little too fast and her ankle bent in an awkward angle, sending the trainee tumbling to the ground with a look of pain.

“Ahh!” she cried out instinctively, clutching the sprained muscle with her hands. Yuqi quickly hit pause on the boombox, rushing over to Haeun as the rest of the trainees looked on with shocked expressions. 

“Are you okay, Haeun-ssi?” she asked, bending down to look at it. The skin looked red, but thankfully not swollen. She pressed against the skin, Haeun yelping in response. 

“I’m fine… I’m fine…” she mumbled, her attempts to control her breathing very noticeable to Yuqi. Haeun’s hands struggled to cover up the worst of it from the idol and her fellow peers. 

“Are you sure? I can call the doctor.” Yuqi offered, her hand moving to her back pocket to grab her phone.

“I’m sorry, seonbae-nim ( _mentor_ ). It was just a slip up. I won’t do it again.” Haeun responded, shaking her head fervently. Yuqi’s eyes glanced to Haeun’s ankle. If it was bad, straining it even more would be disastrous for her. If she did pull her though, there was a likelier chance she’d do something more drastic next time to ‘ _make up_ ’ for it.

“It’s okay. Just… be more careful next time.” Yuqi relented, lifting Haeun up to her feet with a worrying look as her other hand relaxed to her side. Yuqi quickly resumed her position, switching on the boombox yet again and letting the music pick right back up. Her gaze was focused on Ja Haeun as the practice resumed, fearful of a repeat event. Mercifully, the remainder of the session ended without further incident. There were times when concerned looks were thrown Haeun’s way by her fellow peers whenever she made a mistake so at least they were considerate enough not to make light of what could potentially be career ending.

She quickly set the boombox aside next to the rest of the equipment, watching the trainees file out in their little gossiping groups. The exception was Ja Haeun, who remained at her spot, hand nursing her ankle. The trainee seemed to watch the retreating forms with a longing look, a resigned sigh escaping her as the last trainee disappeared behind the door frame. Haeun made to follow, only to hear Yuqi chirp up behind her.

“Haeun-ssi, care to join me for lunch?”

Haeun gulped, her body straightening almost immediately. It wasn’t like she was going to eat with anyone else. ‘ _Plus, I don’t want to make another seonbae angry._ ’ “Um… sure, seonbae-nim.” she answered, clearly rattled. Yuqi nodded, setting aside the boombox by the equipment pile before joining Haeun at the door.

The hallway felt longer, somehow. A stretching, mutating thing that seemed to find some perversity in her plight. The empty rooms they passed through, off doing promotions as mentioned by Yuqi in a quick aside made it feel worse, like she was back in that winding walk to the bathroom. She walked in lockstep with Yuqi all the same, reserved in her posture as the senior idol hummed a short tune to herself.

“How’s your ankle?” Yuqi asked, turning her head towards Haeun.

“It’s okay, seonbae-nim. It doesn’t hurt so much anymore.” she meekly replied, her other leg rubbing against the reddened skin. Yuqi shrugged, continuing to hum her tune. Haeun was content to let Yuqi lead her, until she realized they were heading towards the lobby area in the opposite direction of the cafeteria where most of the trainees and artists often went.

“Aren’t we going to the cafeteria, seonbae-nim?” she asked, perplexed.

Yuqi flashed a wide grin. “You need to live a little, Haeun-ssi. Besides, you don’t seem like you enjoy being around your fellow trainees all that much.”

Haeun stammered, tongue-tied. Her eyes dart towards the recording studio down the hallway on her right, the gentle sound of music emanating from behind. “Are you sure…”

Yuqi quickly cut her off, patting Haeun’s back in a reassuring manner. “She won’t even notice you’re gone. She’s busy enough as it is to worry about tormenting you.”

She looked conflicted, eyes darting back and forth between the lobby doors and the hallway behind her. “I don’t know. Maybe I should…”

“Haeun-ssi, you need to let it go. Soyeon-ssi is not going to forgive you just because you push yourself like crazy. And if you think the rest of us will respond in similar fashion, then you don’t know us very well.” Yuqi let her arm wrap firmly around her shoulders, a gentle side hug offered to the trainee.

That frightened her, the thought of thinking so little of her mentors. Haeun quickly bowed low to Yuqi awkwardly. “I’m sorry, seonbae-nim… I…”

“What’s done is done. Now let’s not ruin a good day by thinking about it. Come on, there’s a really good spot just down the street. You’ll love it!” Yuqi practically dragged the disoriented trainee by the arm down the stairs into the main lobby. Haeun remained in that state, unable to comprehend how fast Yuqi was able to bounce back that even the sight of Soojin walking through the front door was not enough to return her manners to her. All she felt was the driving force of her senior as Yuqi dragged her farther away from the agency building...

Soojin gave a curt nod to Yuqi and Haeun as she passed by them in the lobby, taking the stairs two at a time. As soon as her morning schedule was done, she had been called back by Gyeong Youngsoo to see her one on one in his office. She rubbed her temple, already tired from the morning’s fast-paced shoot. The week since her single tracked record numbers and started charting was a whirlwind of celebration and interviews. Normally she’d welcome it, a nice reprieve from her usual dance and singing practice. But being a solo act was putting a lot of pressure on her. Without her fellow members to counter her reserved, almost stoic nature, she felt like she was being asked to take on multiple roles.

Still, as she pushed her way into the office, she was happy. Her debt was close to being paid off and the sub-unit of hers with Shuhua would polish off the rest. ‘Then I can finally be like Soyeon and enjoy some amount of freedom…’ she smiled as Youngsoo finally noticed her, looking up from his laptop.

“Good afternoon, Youngsoo-nim.” she bowed low in respect.

“Good afternoon, Soojin-ssi. Please, take a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of him.

He wasted no time as soon as Soojin was seated in the chair. “So, I have some good news. A lot of offers are starting to come through. Seems you may have even surpassed Soyeon-ssi in popularity.”

‘ _I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to have them off her back for once._ ’ she thought to herself. “That sounds lovely. What kind of offers?”

Youngsoo brandished a thick folder, pieces of paper sticking out of the manila holder. “Take your pick. Advertisements, variety shows, the whole laundry list.”

“Aren’t we moving forward with the sub-unit with Shuhua-ah? All that sounds like it will eat into that.”

“Nothing on that has changed. If anything, the hype for it will be very anticipated indeed. ”

She exhaled audibly. As much as she ribbed Shuhua on and off camera, she still didn’t want to overshadow her friend. “I’m relieved to hear that. Shuhua-ah will be as well.”

Youngsoo suddenly leaned forward, taking off his glasses and folding them in the palm of his hand. “There is a problem though.”

Her posture stiffened a little. “I guess I should have expected that.”

“With Soyeon-ssi busy on the next album, it may be difficult for her to jump straight.” He said, tucking his glasses in his front pocket and one finger scratching his grey hairs. 

“That shouldn’t be a problem, right? We can start searching for songwriters.” Soojin said.

Youngsoo bit his lip, shaking his head in reluctant fashion. “We could, but… Your brand has been codified as home-grown, so to speak. Breaking with that isn’t wise, at least for now.“ Soojin bit her lip as well. That was an unexpected side effect. She was about to counter the argument before the CEO raised his hand again. “Yes, some songs were co-written but I already called them and they don’t have anything right now, what with their busy schedules and all.”

“So you want me and Shuhua-ah to come up with a song of our own? That’s going to be...” she stammered, briefly losing her exterior guise. He grimly nodded, having been told by Cheon Da-nim about the gruelling process.

“I know. Now you two have a bit of time. We only start production once the new album is done. But we need to capitalise on this. And fast before the public wanes on you.” Youngsoo leaned back in his chair, watching the idol try to internalise the now enormous problem in front of her. Soojin was internally panicking, even as she maintained a steely exterior. ‘ _If that was with Soyeon’s help… how are we supposed to do this now?_ ’ she found herself thinking. The only small comfort she clung to was that she would not be alone in this. Still, she left the office a little more shaken than she expected. Even with the extra time, there wasn’t a moment to waste...

The words were coming a little easier with each passing day. His fingers clacked across the new keyboard, attached to the new computer that the others had given him. His birthday had been a rather muted affair, a small gathering of friends from Soyeon’s side. None of his classmates attended, not even Ja Haeun. Though he was talkative with nearly everyone, especially Yuqi and Seunghee, Soyeon remained rather distant. Even the gentle nudging from Miyeon failed to spark more than short sentences.

He stopped, halfway through a sentence. He’d be going back to school soon, within the next couple of weeks. And he’d have to deal with Pyeong Chung-Ae again. Baek-Hyeon gulped. If nothing else, he wouldn’t harass him immediately unless he wanted to draw more attention to himself. His fingers reached for the keys again. Anything to keep that troubling thought as far away for as long as he could muster.

The doorbell rang once. He paused, thinking it was his nuna ( _older sister_ ). ‘ _But she has a full schedule today…_ ’ he recalled. The doorbell rang again. He rose from the chair, stepping slowly towards the door on his still sore leg, numbed by the daily medicine he was still taking. He threw it open, greeted by two smiling familiar faces.

“Hey, Baek-Hyeon-ssi.” Miyeon said, her arm laden with bags of what appeared to be meats, vegetables and other cooking ingredients. Shuhua bowed low for the both of them, hands clasped against one another just below her waist.

“Hey, Miyeon-ssi, Shuhua-ssi.” Baek-Hyeon bowed low, stepping aside to let them in. He was glad for the visitors at least, even if he missed the ones he once got from family friends. Ever since his stunt at the concert, they weren’t so eager to contact him except by phone. ‘ _They probably don’t want to get dragged into the media frenzy._ ’ he told himself. He didn’t blame them. If the past few months were anything to go by, their fears would be well founded.

“Have you eaten yet?” Miyeon asked, looking at the teenager. He rarely had much of an appetite since he left the hospital. Even his birthday was a muted affair, the others having to coax the teenager into eating more food. It was hard to watch, even harder when she, Shuhua and Soyeon were stuck in equal points of malaise. The tone was set and not even a relatively spirited birthday song and free form performance could break that. It only made the guilt hit that much harder.

“No… I’ve been...um… preoccupied.” Baek-Hyeon rubbed his neck as he looked at the time on the analog clock hanging above the sofa. It was close to 6:00PM, 5 hours since he last saw it. “I didn’t realize it was this late already.” 

“I brought some of your favourites.” Miyeon held up one of the bags, the clear signs of wrapped chicken, flour, eggs and bread crumbs nestled within it. He couldn’t help but salivate inwardly. It had been a while since he had his beloved food. Plus, it was a meal he didn’t have to make Soyeon pay for.

Baek-Hyeon shook his hand, even as his stomach audibly grumbled. “You don’t have to. We could just order…”

Miyeon quickly brushed off his offer, shaking the plastic bag in one hand, while the other laid out the cutting board. “Nonsense. It’d be a shame to waste all this food. You just rest up for now.” she smiled, setting the bag next to the others on the counter. Shuhua dragged some of the bags towards her, the cutting board already in front of her and prepped.

“Oh… Okay. I’ll just… I’ll get out of your way.”

Shuhua watched as Baek-Hyeon limped back to his room, slowly closing the sliding door behind him. His gait was melancholic, contemplative and moody. Shuhua and Miyeon paused, looking at one another knowingly.

Baek-Hyeon guessed that less than ten minutes had passed before the sliding door opened and the idol’s shadow loomed over him. His body did not turn to greet her, but he felt Shuhua’s hand pat him on the back several times. “Doing some writing?”

“Yeah… I figured I’d… pass the time productively. I haven’t really had the time before, so...” He trailed off, not wanting to belabour his injury.

“Making good use of that journal I gave you?” she asked, pointing out the black leatherbound book next to his keyboard. The pages were a little worn, the sides folded inward and its pages littered with scribbles and drawings.

“Been trying to write down my thoughts when I’m out of the house. It’s not often… but I’m trying not to… go back to the days before.” Baek-Hyeon responded, his fingers running across the length of the keyboard. The idol listened to the clacking sounds, leaning her upper body closer to the screen. The lines were clearly attempting to rhyme or connect with one another, not in the sense of dialogue but rather in clear stanzas and verses.

Her eyes widened in surprise, head turning to face Baek-Hyeon. “I didn’t know you were doing songwriting.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I was just thinking of Soojin-ssi’s single… and I don’t know… I guess I thought it resonated in some ways.”

Shuhua bent down to get a closer look at the monitor. “It’s not really done. It’s just some words strung together at this point. And… obviously, it’s nowhere close to what nuna ( _older sister_ ) could come up with.” he stammered out, his fingers paused just above the keys.

“Has your nuna taken a look at it?” she asked, momentarily distracted.

“No, I… I haven’t found the time.” he replied, his lower lip buried behind his teeth. Shuhua got the message. Her eyes turned away from Baek-Hyeon and towards the monitor. It was certainly very rough, italicised lines indicating his thought process and multiple iterations of potentially good ideas littering the highlighted paragraph that was his current version.

She couldn’t help but ask. Soyeon always had a plan in mind before the words were on the page. “Do you have an idea who’d sing it?”

Baek-Hyeon pursed his lips, chuckling softly. “I haven’t really thought that far ahead, honestly.” Shuhua gave him a hurt look. ‘ _You have 6 people who could do that on speed dial._ ’ she told herself. She sat down on the bed, looking at the monitor from afar. Her lips started to hum the lyrics, her head churning through the lines with the expertise her profession offered.

“Mmmm… Mmmm…” the whistle continued, Shuhua’s head bobbing back and forth as Baek-Hyeon watched. Her body seemed to start to groove in tandem, only for the verse to abruptly end, the rest of the page blank. “The lyrics seem kinda… sad, if I have to say.” she expressed her honest opinion.

“I... suppose it is... Artists write from the heart, right?” he replied in kind.

“Not all of them. I know some people who prefer the rhythm more than the meaning. But I guess you’re right. Making something comes from a personal perspective.” she said, recalling the back-and-forth she had with Soyeon for her single. In hindsight, perhaps she should have pushed just a little bit more on some things. Baek-Hyeon nodded, his finger tapping against one of the keys.

The door slid open, Miyeon’s head poking between the crack with a cautious expression. Shuhua was glad for the interruption. “Hey, sorry to interrupt you both. But I could use some help with the prep work.” Baek-Hyeon rose, the limp readily apparent as he shuffled towards the door.

Shuhua placed a firm hand on his shoulder as he tried to walk past her. “Baek-Hyeon, just rest up. You don’t want to put more pressure on your leg.”

“With all due respect Shuhua-ssi, I need a break from the screen. And I’m not laying down in my bed doing nothing.” he said, gulping as he sauntered past and towards the kitchen, a concerned Miyeon propping up his limp with her weight. Shuhua felt her lips dry, eyes gazing back at the computer as the screen stared back. She turned to join them, though the tune remained stuck in her head. She could tell the teenager had a lot weighing on his mind. She just wished she could do more...

Soyeon grumbled, her arms folded as she stared blankly at the computer herself, the fairly empty tracks on the program staring back at her like an ominous sign. She had been this for the part of the day, having locked herself inside the recording studio after dance practice. She always had those inspiration moments, those small things that spark the imagination and blossom into crazy collages of music concepts. Yet as her mind went back across the past few months, little of it truly cut through in the same way. It was hard not to see why. Even the inciting incident of finding her namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ), a memory that should be joyous and celebratory was tempered by the sobering news. Everything past that was one string of misfortune and pain, of promises broken and a tenuous bond barely kept together.

She sighed, staring at the phone sitting next to the keyboard. Things have been… awkward since Baek-Hyeon returned from the hospital. She came to live in the house, spending her nights in the room that had once been hers. Each morning, she was greeted by a smiling Baek-Hyeon bringing a small tray of food before she had to leave. He was always quick to try and strike up a conversation. Every time though, Soyeon could barely get through two sentences before she mumbled an excuse to leave.

She picked up the phone. It was easy enough to just call. Just say that she loves him. Dissuade the notions Moonbyul had hinted he harboured about her. Above all, just to tell him that she was glad to call him family. And yet, her hand set the phone down again. She couldn’t. She had broken the promise she made on their parents’ grave. She had failed to see the signs, where her fellow members didn’t. She couldn’t even come up with an idea to handle Pyeong Chung-Ae and Baek-Hyeon was set to be fed into that lion’s den yet again. ‘ _I don’t deserve it. I can’t look him in the eye and say I’m the sister he was looking for._ ’ she affirmed stubbornly to herself, the glum feeling quickly flowing back into her psyche.

All that stubbornness did not go unnoticed. Minnie watched from the behind the door as Soyeon rested her head next to her phone, her body heaving in and out heavy breaths and carrying a melancholic gait all around. She and the others have been privy to Soyeon’s walkaround, their shared dinners awkward for that very reason. Both of them were being very stubborn, trying to act relatively normal as if nothing had truly happened. Her hand whipped out her phone, speed-dialing a single number near the top of the recent lists. That had to change and soon.

Minnie pressed the device close to her left ear. “Hi, seonbae-nim.”

A familiar voice responded. Minnie could hear someone talk in the background, likely hair and makeup prepping her for a shoot. “Hi, Minnie-ssi. What’s up?”

“I know this is a little impromptu but I was hoping you and Seunghee-nim could meet me at the bar nearby? Say 9:00PM?”

“The bar you all normally frequent? My schedule’s free tonight. Her schedule should be free as well, if I recall but I’ll check. Why? What’s this about?” Moonbyul asked, her tone indicating her clear curiosity.

“I’ll tell you when I see you. Thank you, seonbae-nim.” Minnie responded, disconnecting the call. She looked back to the recording studio, seeing Soyeon raise her head slightly to look at the monitor again. ‘ _She won’t like this… but I’ll live with it._ ’ she thought to herself, pushing herself to walk past for now.

Minnie was nervously fiddling with the buttons on her coat, staring expectantly at the staircase with trembling fingers. A waiter came over to the table, smiling warmly as he set down three tall glasses loaded with draft beer. Cheap too, considering she wasn’t looking to build her debt any higher. She started to move the glasses towards the empty spots and to her own when she saw her two seonbaes walk up and wave over to her, the senior idols quickly taking the seats opposite Minnie.

“Hey, Minnie-ssi.” Moonbyul smiled, draping her bomber jacket over the chair while Seunghee slung her purse over one side of the chair.

“Hello, Moonbyul-nim. Seunghee-nim. Thank you both for coming on such short notice.”

“No problem, Minnie-ssi. Care to tell us why you called us?” Seunghee asked, looking expectantly at the junior idol as she took a swig of her beer.

“I’m sure you’re aware that Soyeon-ah and Baek-Hyeon-ssi have been… avoiding one another.” Minnie explained, a hard fact to even physically articulate for her. Knowing her, this was one of the few times she could recall Soyeon actively avoid mending bridges. Most of the time, it was justified. This though...

“I thought it was mostly Soyeon-ah.” Moonbyul mentioned, her mind already racing through that night over again. 

Minnie shook her head, taking a sip of her beer. “Not after his birthday. He’s been emulating her, trying to… Win her back, I guess.”

“They’re both very stubborn in the head, aren’t they?” Seunghee sighed, tapping against her glass with her fingers. Moonbyul nodded her head. ‘ _Considering what their parents put themselves through… hard to imagine them any other way._ ’

Minnie nodded her head. “Yes... they are. Which is why I was hoping you two could help.” she affirmed. There was a pause, Seunghee looking to Moonbyul and giving her a curt nod. Moonbyul returned it, turning her head and leaning her upper body forward towards Minnie, arms folded onto one another.

“We’re in. What’s your idea?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay. Things can get hectic when you least expect it. And it doesn't look like things are going to let up anytime soon, so the next chapter may be delayed as well. Again, I hope you enjoy reading this. See you again soon!


	18. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soyeon’s friends force her and Baek-Hyeon to speak to one another. Miyeon and Yuqi’s variety show hits a snag. Shuhua and Soojin discover a way to deal with Pyeong Chung-Ae through a conversation with Cheon Da-nim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

The van slowly turned the bend, parking itself just off to the side of the road. The door swung open, Soyeon stepping out dressed in flattering and generally eye-catching attire, topped off with her natural short hair. From the driver’s seat, Cheon Da-nim rolled down the window, his bleary eyes barely awake. It was the crack of dawn and he had barely gotten much sleep last night.

“Soyeon-ssi, remember. It’s the first floor, on your left at the very end of the hallway.” he pointed at the windows just above them. Soyeon nodded appreciatively, her grip on the purse slackening a little.

“Got it. Thanks for the ride, Cheon Da-nim.” she said.

“No worries. Give my regards to Moonbyul-ssi for me.” He remarked. Soyeon waved to him as he wound up the window, driving off into the busy streets in the van. ‘ _Boy, is she in for a surprise…_ ’ he thought to himself, taking a brief moment to watch the idol disappear into the building itself. ‘ _Now, to get some sleep before that meeting in the evening..._ ’

Soyeon stepped inside the office building, nodding once to the receptionist as she passed her by. It was weird that the place seemed relatively sparse for an interview shoot. She half expected some late arrivals and other crew members rushing to the same location, more people in general. ‘ _Maybe it’s a smaller shoot._ ’ she told herself, shrugging her shoulders. She wasn’t going to give up a paycheck, not when she still had a lot of fees to help pay for.

The stairs gave her a moment to collect her thoughts, parse through the last couple of weeks. Baek-Hyeon just went back to school proper last week, Soyeon making a pointed note to pick him up every single day after the fact and look him over for injuries, practice or schedule be damned. Arguments with Cheon Da-nim were starting to get heated, as was constant visits to Gyeong Youngsoo. She rejected their offers of help, not entirely trusting them considering they didn’t seem as eager to confront Pyeong Chung-Ae and his father directly.

So lost in her thoughts as she was, she barely noticed that the stairs had finally evened out and the sound of a door swinging open echoed from the far end of the hallway. Soyeon looked up, seeing a casually dressed Moonbyul step outside and waving her right hand in her direction.

She smiled, walking towards the senior idol with an enthusiastic wave. “Seonbae-nim ( _mentor or senior figure_ )! So nice to see you again!”

“You as well, Soyeon-ah!” Moonbyul responded in kind, both idols embracing each other in a friendly hug. 

“After you.” Moonbyul motioned to the door. Soyeon nodded appreciatively, pushing through the door into the room proper.

Instantly, things were quickly off. Instead of being greeted by red camera lights, blinding spotlights and a host of people rattling off orders and greetings, she was instead greeted by a plain room with no cameras and a host of chairs, six in total. Of them, four were occupied, one by her brother himself.

“Baek-Hyeon?” she responded in clear confusion, seeing a look of surprise cross his face as well. Her eyes swivelled to take in the rest of the room. Aside from her namdongsaeng ( _younger brother_ ), Minnie, Seunghee and Dahyun comprised the other occupants, all seated in a circular arrangement. The three idols smiled, warmly greeting her. None of them were all too surprised by her arrival. Her pupils grew as the true intent of this meeting slowly dawned on her. She spun back to leave the room, only to feel herself bump up against Moonbyul as she firmly stood in the middle of the exit.

“Seonbae-nim, please get out of the way.” she said, a hint of desperation entering her tone as her eyes darted to the hallway behind her friend.

“No. This is happening, Soyeon-ah. You’re going to talk this out with your namdongsaeng. You’re not leaving until you do.” Moonbyul shook her head, her left arm leaning against the doorframe.

She tried to find another angle, weakly smiling all the while. “Surely, everyone’s busy today. We can always reschedule…”

“Funny thing about their schedules. Today just seemed to… clear up for everyone. Isn’t that right?” Minnie responded, her arms folding in similar fashion. Seunghee and Dahyun gave acknowledging nods when Soyeon looked at them, confirming Minnie’s statement. ‘ _They actually were allowed to clear their schedules? How did they convince their managers to…?_ ’ she grumpily chased down the thought. Now wasn’t the time.

Soyeon stammered uncharacteristically. “You can’t be…” Moonbyul cut her off, clasping one firm hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, Soyeon-ah. Don’t be as stubborn as he was.” she said, motioning towards the empty chair next to Baek-Hyeon. Soyeon blinked once, still in disbelief. Yet, she knew that Moonbyul was much more physically capable than her. Shooting a glare at Minnie as she passed her, she reluctantly took her seat next to her namdongsaeng. Baek-Hyeon shriveled up, nervously looking down at his feet as she sat down, unable to look her in the eye.

Elsewhere, Yuqi typed out a message of encouragement to Minnie. She didn’t think she could handle what was likely going down at the intervention, nor did she think the others could handle it as well. ‘ _Perhaps Soojin-ah…_ ’ she admitted, chuckling to herself as she hit send on her phone. She looked up, watching Miyeon chat amicably with the crew as they scrambled to set up the next shoot location in a hurry. The remainder of the cast were in their own separate groups, discussing the shoot and their personal lives in general with one another. In the few weeks since their show went live, things have been slowly thawing between Yuqi and the more senior entertainers, slowly opening up regarding their personal lives and bantering with the occasional wry humour for good effect.

Yuqi saw Johan walk up, the day’s newspaper tucked underneath his armpit. “Hey there, stranger.” she said jokingly. Of all of them, Johan was the easiest to get along with, considering their shared backgrounds.

“Stranger? Yuqi-ssi, you are far too young for your memory to be going senile.” Johan chuckled, pulling up a chair next to her. He leaned back against the frame, grunting as his body stretched to make the most of the space the chair provided. He started to unfurl his newspaper, the paper rippling in the chilly wind.

“How’s your week been, Johan-ssi?” Yuqi bluntly asked, pocketing her phone.

His eyes peeked above the edge of the newspaper. “Good. I met up with some old friends who were in town for a holiday. And you, Yuqi-ssi?”

“It’s been good. We’re going to be releasing a new album soon, so it’s been slowly gearing up practice-wise.” she wound up her arm. Things had certainly been much better when everyone had something to work towards. Soyeon was not as able as she used to be, but that was easily chalked up to her lingering concerns with her namdongsaeng. ‘ _Hopefully, Minnie and the seonbaes will set them right._ ’

Johan nodded, flipping to the next page before looking back up. “Ah, I look forward to listening in. Even if it’s… not exactly my taste.” he gave a mocking face of disgust, his tongue sticking out to sell the act.

Yuqi responded in kind, placing one hand on her shoulder blades and flashing a similar look of shock. “How dare you? I thought you were cultured, Johan-ssi.”

Johan snorted loudly, the newspaper ruffling as his hands shook in a barely restrained fit of laughter. “Hah! Since when have I struck you as cultured, Yuqi-ssi?”

“Considering you went to all the effort to speak Korean, I would think you’d appreciate its qualities.” she responded, letting a low chuckle end her sentence. Johan snorted, but smiled all the same.

Yuqi was about to continue speaking, before she saw Johan’s eyes turn away from her towards something else. Her attention was drawn to the two shadows blocking the view of the sun from them, drawn by the two plainclothes detectives looming large over them.

“Are you Johan bin Ashraf?” the one on the right inquired, one hand on his waist.

Johan blinked twice, then looked to Yuqi. She shrugged her shoulders. Was this part of the production? They did like playing practical jokes if they could, since they often made for good entertainment. “Yes, I am. Is something wrong?” he answered, folding his paper and laying it down on the table in front of him. 

“I’m placing you under arrest.” the detective said, pulling out a pair of worn handcuffs and marching towards Johan with purpose. Yuqi’s expression quickly paled, taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

Johan’s eyes followed suit, widening to the size of dinner plates. “What?! For what reason?” he exclaimed.

“The charges will be read back at the station, sir.” the detective slipped behind the stunned man, locking his arms in the metal cuffs with the telltale clink. Johan was quickly hoisted up to his feet, looking all the more confused and terrified at the prospect of being dragged off to jail.

Yuqi rose immediately from her chair, taking a step towards the duo. “Surely there must be a mistake…”

“I’m sorry, madam. I need you to stay back.” his fellow detective held up a hand in her direction, motioning to his partner to lead their suspect away. As Johan looked at Yuqi pleadingly and with increasing concern, Yuqi could do little but watch them drag him away to their waiting car. Miyeon herself had just stepped away from the crew to get ready for the shoot, only to witness the same incident unfold from afar. She raced to Yuqi, seeing the clear look of dumbfoundedness on her expression.

“Yuqi-ah? What happened?” she asked, one hand on her shoulder.

“I… I don’t know.” she paused, watching the car drive out of sight. A lot of the crew were starting to scramble or otherwise gossiping with one another. “Come on. The director is probably going to call off the shoot.” Yuqi nudged Miyeon in the shoulder, slowly making her way to the large array of cameras in the clearing.

As expected, it was pandemonium. While the crew were sullen, their heads low in realization, the cast were angrily discussing with the director about the shoot. It was all but certain what was going to happen next.

“I understand that everyone is a little upset about this development, but we will need to suspend production until we can find a suitable replacement.” the director reassured them.

Miyeon raised her hand, all eyes turning to her. “What did Johan-ssi do?”

“The police would not say much. Apparently, he’s wanted for a hit-and-run case that was all over the news.” the director responded, scratching the back of his neck.

That got Miyeon’s attention. She raised her hand again. The director gave a quizzical look her way, as did her castmates. “Seonbae-nim, did they say where… this hit and run happened… or who the victims were?”

“Umm…. If I recall, it was in Seoul itself. An old couple. I wasn’t paying too much attention to be honest.” he said, his hand now rubbing the back of his head. Yuqi and Miyeon gave furtive, knowing glances at one another. There was too much coincidence in it to be unrelated. They kept quiet though. It wasn’t knowledge that needed to be made public, not from them at least.

“Anyway, I’ll let everyone know when we are rescheduled. Thank you, everyone and apologies.” the director bowed low, clearly ashamed. The cast bowed in kind, then dispersed, the rumor mill already churning between them. Yuqi and Miyeon remained quiet, only daring to speak once they had reached the parking lot where their van was waiting. Yuqi stopped Miyeon from getting any closer with a firm hand, figuring that their driver did not need to hear this.

“We need to tell them.” Yuqi jumped straight to the point.

Miyeon seemed hesitant, part of her lower lip disappearing behind her front teeth. “Are we sure,Yuqi-ah? That’s not going to go down well for either of them.”

“And not telling them was such a good idea last time, unni.” Yuqi sarcastically remarked, eyes rolling in their sockets. “It’s not good news, I agree but we need to tell them anyway.”

Miyeon nodded glumly. Yuqi brought up a fair point. Still, she couldn’t see how this was going to help matters. “Okay, okay…” She reached into her purse, fishing out the phone with a reluctant sigh. “I’ll see if everyone is free for dinner. There’s a place that opens late near the agency. We’ll have the time to talk.” she told Yuqi, figuring that a good meal would make the news much easier to swallow. That and the copious amounts of beer they would imbibe…

Back at the intervention, Soyeon and Baek-Hyeon were just sitting in their seats, completely silent. While Soyeon simply had her arms folded on one another and eyes glaring intently between her fellow idols, Baek-Hyeon had his head drooped low, eyes trained on the floor and idly twiddling his fingers. The four idols who had called this intervention to order glanced between themselves and their targets. The disheartening quietness of it all was unnerving, gnawing at Minnie’s reserve of patience.

She nudged Soyeon’s shoulder pointedly with her own. “Soyeon-ah, say something.”

“There’s nothing to say, Minnie-ah. Everything’s just fine.” Soyeon grumpily remarked, shooting a glare at her fellow member. Seunghee looked to Moonbyul, motioning her head towards Baek-Hyeon instead.

“Baek-Hyeon? Do you have something to share?” Moonbyul tried encouraging him with a shoulder bump of her own. His body shied away from her gesture, eyes still lowered and his head shaking back and forth.

Seunghee bit her lip. This was getting nowhere. “Can you two stop being so stubborn? You won’t talk to each other. You barely even look at each other. You clearly don’t hate each other that much, else this would have already escalated. So why not just come out and say what’s on your mind.” she reasoned.

“Maybe there’s a good reason, seonbae-nim. One I recall explaining in detail to you.” Soyeon responded haughtily. Seunghee’s eyes narrowed. ‘ _Not good enough, Soyeon-ah._ ’

Dahyun chimed in, clearing her throat to draw everyone’s attention. “Then explain it to him so we can all get on the same page.” Soyeon sighed audibly. ‘ _That would be easy, wouldn’t it…_ ’

Baek-Hyeon rocked a little in his chair, eyes still looking to the floor. “Look, I don’t want… I don’t want to make things worse than it is. I should just…”

“What do you mean?” Soyeon responded, assuming the worst. She was quick to round on Minnie. “What did you tell him?” she demanded.

“Nothing, Soyeon-ah. Honestly.” Minnie shook her head and hands fervently.

Dahyun looked to Baek-Hyeon, flashing him an encouraging look. “Baek-Hyeon-ssi, it’s only going to get worse if you keep it to yourself. Same with you, Soyeon-ah.” she pressed, her hands clapping on one another as she leaned in.

‘ _If this would end this quickly, why not?_ ’ she thought to herself. “You want me to be honest, Dahyun-ah? Fine. Fine...” Soyeon breathed in deeply, looking at Baek-Hyeon with trepidation. “I’m still angry, Baek-Hyeon-ssi. You were hurt. And I didn’t know until you were in the hospital, until it was too late. I could have done something. I could have…”

“It would have just cast a negative picture on you. On your career. On everything you built.” Baek-Hyeon affirmed. Moonbyul instantly recognized his intent.

“And you think that matters? I swore on our parents’ grave that I’d do right by you, namdongsaeng. That I’d try to be the nuna you were looking for, no matter what.”

“It should matter, shouldn’t it?” he mumbled softly in a barely audible tone.

Soyeon frowned, finding his logic unsound. “I can have another career. I can’t have another family.” she paused, taking in another deep breath. “You are more important than…” she began.

Baek-Hyeon couldn’t hold it in any longer. “No, I don’t!” he screamed, his sudden rise from the chair knocking it down. Soyeon and Moonbyul were the most surprised, shifting in their seats instinctively. The others who were farther away did not move as much, but their eyes clearly delineated their shock. Baek-Hyeon wasted no time, rounding on Soyeon, their height difference now readily apparent.

“She cared about you! That was all she ever cared about! Even when my birthday came around, all she could muster was a greeting card! A templated one at that! No handwritten message, no morning wishes, not even a slice of cake! Because all she could think about was you!” he screamed. Seunghee’s mouth widened in shock, barely covered by the hand she tokenly raised up.

Baek-Hyeon advanced, his hand pointing deliberately at her. “She went out into the streets on that damn day! She’d make us go out with her. She’d come home half-asleep, not a word of love or a warm good night! Sometimes, we’d need to play the music you once listened to, just so she could get some ounce of rest for whatever she’d put herself through tomorrow.” he continued. Each mention of his wretched childhood drew further looks of surprise and horror from the idols. Soyeon’s face blanched, whitening with each sentence. The nightmare felt real now, the images already polluting her mind.

“Did I feel jealous?! Yes, but I knew why! I understood why. Because you were still important! Because you mattered more to her than I did! You still do! Her last words weren’t for me! They were for you!” he paused, withdrawing his extended hand and letting his arms sag to his sides, balling his hands into fists.

“So your career, the life you had spent so long to build, has to work! You need to have a good life! So that… so that they didn’t die…. they didn’t die for nothing…” he started to sob, tears forming in his eyes.

“So that… everything she put me through… wasn’t for nothing...” Baek-Hyeon admitted in between sobs. It was too much for him, the anger and the looks of dumbfoundedness permeating the idols’ expressions as they looked back, the teenager unwilling to hear the voices calling him back as he stormed out the front door, running away from the hurt he believed he had inflicted upon the last of his family.

“Baek-Hyeon-ssi!” he heard his nuna scream. He briefly contemplated looking back. That moment passed and the self-loathing consumed him again. His feet carried him down the steps at a breakneck pace. By the time Minnie dashed to the window overlooking the street, all she could see was his fleeing form disappearing into the evening crowd.

Minnie turned around. Moonbyul and Seunghee looked worried, while Dahyun was more confused than anything. “Soyeon-ah…” Minnie reached out cautiously.

Soyeon slapped her friend’s hand away. “I need a minute to myself, please? Can I at least have that, Minnie-ah?” Soyeon exhaled heavily, her hand gripping the door frame so tightly that her nails were starting to dig into the wood.

Minnie made to argue against it, but felt Dahyun hold onto her shoulder. “Let her be. She needs to deal with this on her own.” she advised, watching as Soyeon stumbled out of the room with nary a glance to her fellow idols. Moonbyul at last understood what he had meant, finding that her sympathy was curdling into understanding and a note of disgust. ‘ _Perhaps it was just how he viewed his mother, but… she didn’t exactly paint a pretty picture._ ’ she told herself, watching as Minnie slowly came to the same realization.

Cheon Da-nim groaned, scribbling out another line in his notebook. This was supposed to be a meeting for their new subunit, to discuss some finer details and make sure their work was on track. Instead, things were relatively subdued between Shuhua, Soojin and him. Even as he tried to get things back on track several times, the idols’ thoughts were consumed by the myriad of ways they could come up with to deal with Pyeong Chung-Ae.

He raised his head, seeing the two idols in equally blank states. “Anything, Cheon Da-nim?” Shuhua asked, rather hopefully.

He shook his head. “No.” Shuhua’s smile faltered. “We’ve been at this for a couple of hours already.”

“We’re not letting this sit for a day longer. He could be in the hospital again. Or worse.” Soojin said, grip tightening on her pen.

“But we need to do this right, Shuhua-ssi. We can’t afford to put your careers on the line.” He responded.

“If we had our way, Chung-Ae wouldn’t be in any shape to do what he did.” Soojin darkly intoned. Cheon Da-nim glumly nodded. He very much did not doubt that Soyeon shared the same mindset. At the very least, they were cognizant of the fact that they’d simply give home advantage to the bully if they did.

Silence fell upon the room again. He whipped out his phone, desperate to procrastinate for just a little while. As he flipped through the various apps still open, he paused at the contacts list. ‘ _Wasn’t there…?_ ’ he thought as he scrolled down rapidly. It did not go unnoticed by Shuhua and Soojin.

“Do you have something, Cheon Da-nim?” Soojin asked, leaning forward to get a glimpse of his phone.

Cheon Da-nim curbed her impatience with a simple gesture of his hand. “Perhaps… If I can just… Ah, here it is.” Cheon Da-nim flipped the phone around, the screen now facing Soojin and Shuhua. A single number rested in the center of the screen, the Korean letters spelling out all they needed to know.

Soojin held the phone closer to her face. “Isn’t that Myung-Ki-ssi’s number?”

“It is.” Cheon Da-nim nodded. The lightbulb took very little time to go off above Soojin’s head.

She snapped her fingers, finally understanding her manager’s intent. “That could work. That could actually work.”

Shuhua raised her hand, brows furrowed in confusion. “Wait, I’m lost. What is Myung-Ki-ssi’s number supposed to mean?”

“Remember the show School Attack from last year, Shuhua-ah?” Soojin pointed towards her with one outstretched hand.

Shuhua took a moment to think, answering in an uncertain tone. “That’s the… the one where we invade the school and put on a concert, right? We did that last year, right?” she tossed the question back to Soojin.

The idol nodded. “Yep. And Myung-Ki-ssi is the PD on that. Which means…”

“Which means he can get us on campus with a reason. But how does that solve our problem?” she asked again.

Soojin made a circular gesture with her pointer finger. “We still have Haeun-ssi’s video footage. And they normally have a giant projector in the back right, Cheon Da-nim?” she turned to the manager. Cheon Da-nim nodded curtly.

It took a few moments for Shuhua to come to the same conclusion. “Oh. Oh! I get it now!” Shuhua exclaimed, nodding very quickly in agreement. It was the best way to expose him, while still keeping them relatively insulated from the potential backlash.

“Can we convince him though? It’d be a big risk for them.” Soojin remarked, looking at Cheon Da-nim with an unconvinced glance.

“We don’t have any better ideas, to be frank, Soojin-ssi. Rolling the dice is the best we can do.” He glanced outside the window. “But perhaps we should table this for tomorrow. It’s getting late.”

The idols looked out the window to the sunset already fading into night. Soojin and Cheon Da-nim rose from their seats, thinking that dinner would be in order before getting back on track. Shuhua was about to follow suit, only to feel her phone vibrate in her side pocket. The other two paused, watching as she pulled the phone from her pocket.

“It’s Miyeon-ah.” she said, looking surprised. The shoot was supposed to go for most of the night. And they usually kept their phones away during them. She tapped on the screen once, swiftly placing the phone next to her ear.

“Hey, Miyeon-ah. What’s up?” Shuhua chirped as Soojin slipped on her jacket.

Her head swivelled to the others. “Um… I think we’re almost done. Where do you want to meet?”

“Okay, sure.” Shuhua nodded her head. “Yes, I’ll call them. They should be done with their intervention by now. See you then.”

She disconnected the call, the phone disappearing back into her pocket as she reached for her jacket. “They want us to meet them for dinner. Said they had something important to discuss.” Soojin nodded in agreement. Cheon Da-nim took it as his cue, making to move past Shuhua.

Soojin looked at him with a hint of pity. “Did you want to join us, Cheon Da-nim?”

He quickly shook his head, tucking the notebook underneath his arm. “No, it’s fine, Soojin-ssi. I’ll see if Youngsoo-nim is free. If we want to go through with this, then I’d better start trying to convince the right people.”

“Alright. We’ll make it up to you later. Good night, Cheon Da-nim!” Shuhua screamed out, hurriedly racing after Soojin with wild, flowing hair flailing behind her as she ran down the stairs two at a time.

“Good night, Shuhua-ssi.” He smiled, waving off the idol with an understanding expression. He sighed when they were finally out of sight. His gaze fell on the CEO’s office, pale light shining through the window blinds and the space below the door. Perhaps a late night dinner was in order, if he was going to convince Youngsoo to support the girls’ crazy scheme. Him and perhaps the production director for School Attack if they were going to go about this...


	19. Creative Endeavour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baek-Hyeon helps Shuhua and Soojin write their sub-unit’s debut song. Soyeon and Minnie explain the plan to Cheon Da-nim and Gyeong Youngsoo. Yuqi and Miyeon decide to investigate the crime in further detail. 
> 
> We’re in the homestretch at this point, with the goal to finish within the next 6 chapters. Dragging it out any further wouldn’t be great and I’m looking to move on to other projects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I do not own the copyright for (G)-IDLE, including any characters sharing their names and appearances as well as any real-life characters that cameo in this chapter. The only characters that I own are original characters created for this story.

Yuqi groaned, rubbing her eyes as the sunlight pierced the windows and blasted her full with its blinding rays. Her hand instinctively shielded her eyes from the intrusion, trying hard not to yawn. She had woken up early, wanting to handle this business before the morning schedule was due to start. In the seat next to her, Miyeon was staring at the police station with a look of worry in her eyes. She didn’t know why Yuqi shook her awake rather than Soyeon. Perhaps she didn’t want to worry her or break her concentration. Still, she felt like she should have mentioned something before they left the house.

“Yuqi-ah, I don’t think this is a good idea.” she said, still staring outside at the station entrance.

“What do we have to lose, Miyeon-ssi?” Yuqi said, unbuckling her seatbelt and stepping out of the car in quick succession. Miyeon had no answer for her, only to unbuckle her own seatbelt and follow suit.

The police station was barely occupied, the few who were manning their desks at the crack of dawn in various states of drowsiness. The officer at the reception area yawned a couple of times as he took down their information. It took several minutes of waiting on the bench before the door opened and a beleaguered and familiar detective stepped out, notepad in hand. His stubble was more grown out now, messy in most parts. His eyes had slight dark bags, his body expressing a similarly haggard form.

Yuqi held out her hand in anticipation, putting on an inviting smile. “Hi, we were hoping to speak to someone about…” 

The detective interrupted Yuqi very quickly, pointing towards Miyeon in recognition. “You again?”

“You’re the detective from before.” Miyeon said, watching the detective scoff and turn to open the door to the station, leading the two idols to his desk. It was as messy as before, piles of folders stacked here and there. A small pillar of boxes stood behind his chair and the faint smell of smoke was clear as they got closer.

“Where’s your friend? She wants to scream in my face again?” he snarkily remarked, plopping himself back against the chair. ‘ _Okay, clearly none too happy to see us. Or maybe just Miyeon for that matter._ ’ Yuqi surmised.

Miyeon responded bluntly, fixing the detective with a steely gaze. “She’s busy. But she was right.”

“Hah.” he chuckled derisively, his hand slowly reaching below his desk. “I’d ask why you’re here at all, but I can hazard a guess.” the detective grumbled, fishing out a folder from the drawer beneath his desk. Yuqi could see that it was Johan’s folder, his name emblazoned at the bottom of the manila folder.

“You arrested someone for the hit-and-run, right? A man named Johan?” Yuqi asked, peering towards the jail cells. The detective caught wind, following her line of sight. None of the cells were occupied. ‘ _Least he’s in Holding further in. Captain would have me written up if they tried talking to him._ ’ he thought to himself.

The detective nodded. “Yes, we arrested him in connection to that case. That’s what you wanted to know, right?” Yuqi and Miyeon’s expressions remained passive, clearly not believing his assessment.

“I’d thought you’d be happy to hear that. The case is closed.” The detective said, brow raised in surprise.

“He didn’t strike me the type to do something like this.” Yuqi argued. The detective scoffed, taking out a pen and writing some notes on his notepad, eyes darting back and forth between it and the folder.

“And I didn’t strike my parents as a detective, but here I am. Your point?” he said plainly.

Yuqi responded in kind. “Surely you must have had some evidence to back up the arrest?”

‘ _So they want to play amateur detective._ ’ the detective quickly realized. “I do. But I’m not releasing that information to some idols playing detective. Even if I sympathise with your friend’s plight.” he firmly said.

Yuqi pleaded, hands clapped against one another. “Please, we just want to know if he really is the person to do this.” 

He shook his head firmly. “Not happening. This information is not meant for the public. Not yet, anyway.”

“Because you did such a good job the first time.” Miyeon felt her sarcastic streak come roaring back. The detective’s eye twitched in annoyance. A loud banging noise rattled Yuqi as the detective slammed his hand on his desk and several sheets of paper scattered across his workspace. He rose from his seat, his notepad left unattended.

“Don’t lecture on me on how I do my job. I said it before, your friend’s case wasn’t as important. Do you think we have the bandwidth to handle every case with such vigour? So, be happy that this case was concluded in some satisfactory manner.” he said, almost close to breathing on Miyeon. Miyeon simply stared at him, a passive glare still plastered on her face. Yuqi seemed not to be playing attention, staring off elsewhere. Slowly, the detective backed off, his breath still heated and slightly stilted.

“You can show yourselves out.” The detective snarled, grabbing the notepad off his desk and stomping away with loud, audible footsteps echoing in his wake. Miyeon felt Yuqi shake her shoulder, the trembling fist below it slowly unclenching. By the time they returned to the van, Miyeon was back to a calm state. She turned, seeing Yuqi hastily whip out her phone and start typing away at the digital keyboard.

“What are you doing?” she said, peering over to look at her phone screen.

“Writing it down before I forget.” she stated plainly, tapping one last time before beaming wide with a grin.

Miyeon looked surprised. “You got something?” she asked, even as Yuqi was already searching up the note on another app.

“While he was arguing with you. He had his notepad open. Looks like an address for an auto-repair shop.” Yuqi smiled, the faint glow of her mobile phone illuminating her face. There would be no time to investigate it today, seeing as they needed to meet with the others for the morning schedule, but it was a lead. It was some sort of progress.

It was tiring to come to the agency building straight after school. As he sat at the table in one of the empty meeting rooms, his attention was split between the school notebooks sitting on the table to his left and the laptop on his right. His eyes darted back to the notebook momentarily, hastily scribbling out an answer to the math problem before turning his attention back to the idols as they discussed whatever he had put forward. At times, Shuhua would take a break and scoot over, gently coaching him through the problems whenever he got stuck. Soojin was a bit more strict in this regard. ‘ _I’ll tell you if it’s right or wrong. The journey is yours to take._ ’ she waxed poetically, though Baek-Hyeon could tell she was being sarcastic.

He paused as his attention darted back to the words they had suggested. “Hmmm…. It rhymes, but… I don’t know. Feels a little weak.” he bluntly remarked.

Soojin peered over, scanning the page of lyrics again. “How so?”

“This part is supposed to convey power, right? Tough badasses against the world, no apologies and such?” he said, a note of doubt creeping in. Soojin nodded. He motioned his head, not wanting to be the one to say it aloud.

“It’s not coming through, is it?” Shuhua picked up the slack.

Baek-Hyeon nodded, his hand already flying across the page with his mechanical pencil. “More of a whimper than a snarl. A little more bite might sell it better.”

“Okay. Um, give me a few minutes. I need to think.” Soojin responded, burying her head into her notebook in deep concentration.

The day slowly carried on, the dance between homework and helping out jockeying for prime position, punctuated by the dull and repetitive tick of its minute hand. Eventually, lunch came around. Tired as they were, they settled on reheating some leftovers from yesterday that were still stranded in the canteen fridge. Soojin went out to handle the food while Shuhua stayed back to keep an eye on Baek-Hyeon. He had barely stopped, only pausing to wave to Soojin as she left the room.

“You’re supposed to take a break, you know. You can’t be creative on an empty stomach.” She set the notebook down on the table, looking at Baek-Hyeon in his bag covered eyes, still counting out his math problems. “Or barely any sleep for that matter.”

Baek-Hyeon rubbed his eyes as if to prove her point, but held his ground. “You barely sleep too, Shuhua-ssi. And I’m not really hungry.” His body again betrayed him, belching grumbles of discontent.

Shuhua shook her head, her eyes rolling in her sockets. “We get a few hours in when we can. Those eyes don’t look like they’ve been closed in days. And your growling stomach isn’t convincing in the slightest.” 

“You don’t owe your eomeonim ( _mother_ ) anything. Not after what she did.” she said. After what her fellow members and idol friends told them during the dinner, there was not as much sympathy for Baek-Hyeon and Soyeon’s eomeonim among them. Of them, only Minnie and Miyeon bothered to argue the other side of the coin, though even then they could not ignore the effect it had otherwise.

“You didn’t understand her pain, Shuhua-ssi.” he snorted derisively.

“Actually, I do.” Shuhua reminded him.

He scoffed, eyes furrowed into each other. When Shuhua had admitted this fact, he was slightly peeved to put it bluntly. Yet, he found himself far more forgiving in this regard. What was a simple misunderstanding in the grand scheme of things? “For all of five minutes, Shuhua-ssi. No offense, but that’s barely a speed date.” he countered.

“Still, things may not have worked out as you thought it would. If I had to go from those few minutes, it may not have changed anything.” Shuhua argued. Baek-Hyeon stared back pensively at the idol, too tired to argue but flashing a stubborn look all the same.

She sighed, her lips pursed in thought. She reached out, gripping his hand. He looked up at her. “I know you care about your nuna. We all do.” she paused. “But that doesn’t give you the excuse to ignore or devalue yourself like this. Soyeon-ah wouldn’t want that for you.” 

She heard Soojin rap on the door, bringing in the hot soup she had reheated on a small wooden tray. Setting it down and handing it out to everyone, Shuhua gave Baek-Hyeon another motioning look. With reluctance, he reached for the spoon and scooped up a small spoonful of warm broth and sipped at it. It was a much needed break for the beleaguered teenager and he smiled, soon devouring the rest of the broth in lightning speed. Shuhua and Soojin beamed in kind, happy to see their friend at least putting in minimum effort. Progress in some way...

Gyeong Youngsoo wished he had taken some sort of painkiller before coming in today. The headache he was nursing from the sudden ambush of a meeting was waning on his patience. He looked at the array of three employees sitting across him, the first thing on his mind flowing out with little restraint after listening to them pitch the audacious plan whilst he was in the middle of a call.

“You’re out of your mind.” Soyeon, Minnie and Cheon Da-nim sighed. They expected as much from him.

Cheon Da-nim shrugged his shoulders as he leaned forward, tapping the folder in front of him with his pointer finger. “It’s a good plan, I have to admit, Youngsoo-nim.”

“Then you are clearly not suited for your position, Cheon Da-nim. I thought you were joking when you brought this up with me and Myung-Ki-ssi over dinner last week.” 

“He wasn’t. We thought this through. This is the best way to deal with him while still retaining the public’s sympathy. We could always go the other way.” Soyeon argued passionately.

“You understand what you’re asking me, Soyeon-ssi? You’re asking me to tell the PD of School Attack to stage an episode at your namdongsaeng’s school, then sabotage his shoot just to expose Baek-Hyeon-ssi’s bully? Not to mention the pain I’d be going through with the association once word gets out to the public?” Youngsoo rattled off, already imagining every TV station, network and the whirlwind of gossip that was sure to follow.

“When you put it that way, it does sound crazy.” Minnie awkwardly remarked, quickly flashing an apologetic look when Youngsoo looked in her direction with an annoyed glare.

“Shall I say it again, so you all will see it my way? No. Absolutely not. (G)I-DLE is going places. We have a subunit with a lot of potential, an album that you...” he pointed towards Soyeon with an exasperated look. “are supposed to be working on. And gigs are coming in, not just the music kind.” he finally sighed, unable to continue his rant any longer. “Why in the world would I let this go through?”

Soyeon barely paused before her lips moved, not a quiver in sight. “I’ll quit. Go somewhere else.”

Youngsoo clutched his belly, bending over in laughter. “Hahahaha! Don’t make me laugh! You need this job, Soyeon-ssi. Your debt may be squared, but I doubt that supporting yourself and Baek-Hyeon can be sustained on simple morals.”

“I’ll make do. And I have enough money to last until I find an agency willing to take me on.” she calmly remarked.

Now that got his attention, eyes as wide as dinner plates. His eyes darted to Minnie, then to Cheon Da-nim. Only the manager seemed just as taken aback. The foreign idol showed no outward signs of alarm, if she was. “So you’ll give up your dream? Just for your namdongsaeng? After everything you’ve put into this? All the years you’ve trained? All the sleepless nights? All the sacrifices you made?” he asked out of genuine curiosity.

Soyeon looked to Minnie, taking in a deep breath. Minnie wordlessly nodded, encouraging her in silence. She turned back to Gyeong Youngsoo. “With all due respect and in honesty, Youngsoo-nim… my namdongsaeng would want that more than anything in the world.”

“But… he doesn’t know anything better. Because he was never shown anything better. And he’s… twisted himself into believing himself lesser than everyone else. Trying to right the wrongs he thinks he caused.”

Soyeon slammed a firm hand on the table, the clutter on it rattling ever so slightly. “I’m not waiting. I’m not making the same mistakes my parents made. If it means I have to give up my career for now, I can live with that.” Youngsoo saw her arm shaking. For all her confidence, even she was struggling to keep the facade going. “What I can’t live with is letting my family slip away, not when I have the chance to make it right.”

“Minnie-ssi, you’ve been quiet. Are you actually in agreement with this? If Soyeon-ssi leaves, that puts (G)I-DLE in a dangerous position. And if we can’t find a replacement… I may have to disband the group altogether.”

“Our friendship matters more, Youngsoo-nim. I’d rather have Soyeon-ah be happy than have her resent us for not sticking by her side.” Minnie replied quickly, laying a single hand on Soyeon’s shoulder, a warm smile from her friend greeting her back. ‘ _Thank you, Minnie-ah._ ’ she silently remarked in her head.

“So I’m the bad guy? Just for thinking about your future?” he said.

Minnie shook her head. “No, you’re not. We just think that helping our friend takes precedent. No matter how much money is on the table. She’d do the same for us if our positions were reversed.”

Youngsoo sighed, rising from his chair, three pairs of eyes watching him expectantly. ‘Screw it. He pressed on the button, a shrill beep following suit. “You get all that, Myung-Ki-ssi? Can we make it happen?” he said, to the wide-eyed surprise of the three employees sitting across his desk.

A staticky masculine voice responded back. “Sure. We’ll be over tomorrow to discuss details.” Soyeon looked at Cheon Da-nim expectantly, only to see him shrug in similar bewilderment.

Youngsoo pressed down on the call button again. “Whoever you loop in, make sure it’s a small group. People you trust. If he catches on…”

“I understand. See you all tomorrow.” Myung-Ki responded quickly, disconnecting moments later. He looked up to Soyeon, Minnie and Cheon Da-nim. All three of them stared at him blankly, half expecting him to reveal that it was just a joke.

“Well, what are you still doing in my office?” he motioned towards the door with a dismissive gesture, not even looking up at them.

Soyeon rose from her seat first, bowing low in gratitude. “Thank you, Youngsoo-nim.”

The CEO shook his head firmly. “Do not thank me yet, Soyeon-ssi.” he pointed his pen in her direction, shaking it pointedly. “There will be repercussions to this. I hope you understand that.”

“I’m fine with that. I know what’s important now. And I’ll pay my dues.” Soyeon affirmed. As she walked out of the office, Minnie and Cheon Da-nim in tow, she kept that thought at the forefront. She had a lot of work to do, a lot riding on what was to come next. She couldn’t renege on her promise to them again. She wouldn’t allow it...


End file.
